Phase synchronization of fluid-fluid interfaces as hydrodynamically coupled oscillators

Eujin Um (), Minjun Kim, Hyoungsoo Kim, Joo H. Kang, Howard A. Stone and Joonwoo Jeong ()
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Eujin Um: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)
Minjun Kim: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)
Hyoungsoo Kim: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Joo H. Kang: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)
Howard A. Stone: Princeton University
Joonwoo Jeong: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Hydrodynamic interactions play a role in synchronized motions of coupled oscillators in fluids, and understanding the mechanism will facilitate development of applications in fluid mechanics. For example, synchronization phenomenon in two-phase flow will benefit the design of future microfluidic devices, allowing spatiotemporal control of microdroplet generation without additional integration of control elements. In this work, utilizing a characteristic oscillation of adjacent interfaces between two immiscible fluids in a microfluidic platform, we discover that the system can act as a coupled oscillator, notably showing spontaneous in-phase synchronization of droplet breakup. With this observation of in-phase synchronization, the coupled droplet generator exhibits a complete set of modes of coupled oscillators, including out-of-phase synchronization and nonsynchronous modes. We present a theoretical model to elucidate how a negative feedback mechanism, tied to the distance between the interfaces, induces the in-phase synchronization. We also identify the criterion for the transition from in-phase to out-of-phase oscillations.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18930-7

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