Brittle fracturing of materials is common in natural and industrial processes over a variety of length scales. Knowledge of individual particle dynamics is vital to obtain deeper insight into the atomistic processes governing crack propagation in such materials, yet it is challenging to obtain these details in experiments. We propose an experimental approach where isotropic dilational strain is applied to a densely packed monolayer of attractive colloidal microspheres, resulting in fracture. Using brightfield microscopy and particle tracking, we examine the microstructural evolution of the monolayer during fracturing. Furthermore, we propose and test a parameter termed Weakness that estimates the likelihood for particles to be on a crack line, based on a quantified representation of the microstructure in combination with a machine learning algorithm. Regions that are more prone to fracture exhibit an increased Weakness value, however the exact location of a crack depends on the nucleation site, which cannot be predicted a priori. An analysis of the microstructural features that most contribute to increased Weakness values suggests that local density is more important than orientational order. Our methodology and results provide a basis for further research on microscopic processes during the fracturing process.@en

Hypothesis: High-frequency interfacial rheology of complex interfaces remains challenging yet it is central to the performance of multiphase soft matter products. We propose to use ultrasound-driven bubble dynamics to probe the high-frequency rheology of a colloid monolayer used as model system with controlled interactions and simultaneous monitoring of the microstructure. We hypothesize that by comparing the response of colloid-coated bubbles with that of a bare bubble under identical experimental conditions, it is possible to detect the non-linear response of the monolayer and use it to extract interfacial rheological properties at 10⁴s⁻¹. Experiments: Using high-speed video-microscopy, the dynamics of colloid-coated bubbles were probed to study the micromechanical response of the monolayer to high-frequency deformation. Protocols analogous to stress-sweep and frequency-sweep were developed to examine the stress–strain relationships. A simple model, motivated by the observed non-linear responses, was developed to estimate the interfacial viscoelastic parameters. Findings: The estimated elastic moduli of colloid monolayers at 10⁴s⁻¹ are about an order of magnitude larger than those measured at 1 s⁻¹. The monolayers exhibit non-linear viscoelasticity for strain amplitudes as small as 1%, and strain-softening behaviour. These findings highlight the applicability of acoustic bubbles as high-frequency interfacial probes.

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Oil foams stabilized by crystallizing agents exhibit outstanding stability and show promise for applications in consumer products. The stability and mechanics imparted by the interfacial layer of crystals underpin product shelf life, as well as optimal processing conditions and performance in applications. Shelf life is affected by the stability against bubble dissolution over a long time scale, which leads to slow compression of the interfacial layer. In processing flow conditions, the imposed deformation is characterized by much shorter time scales. In practical situations, the crystal layer is therefore subjected to deformation on extremely different time scales. Despite its importance, our understanding of the behavior of such interfacial layers at different time scales remains limited. To address this gap, here we investigate the dynamics of single, crystal-coated bubbles isolated from an oleofoam, at two extreme time scales: the diffusion-limited time scale characteristic of bubble dissolution, ∼104 s, and a fast time scale characteristic of processing flow conditions, ∼10-3 s. In our experiments, slow deformation is obtained by bubble dissolution, and fast deformation in controlled conditions with real-time imaging is obtained using ultrasound-induced bubble oscillations. The experiments reveal that the fate of the interfacial layer is dramatically affected by the dynamics of deformation: after complete bubble dissolution, a continuous solid layer remains; after fast, oscillatory deformation of the layer, small crystals are expelled from the layer. This observation shows promise toward developing stimuli-responsive systems, with sensitivity to deformation rate, in addition to the already known thermoresponsiveness and photoresponsiveness of oleofoams.

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