Drop deformation during elongational flow in blends of viscoelastic fluids. Small deformation theory and comparison with experimental results

The deformation of dispersed droplets in immiscible polymer blends was studied in elongational flow, with an original method based on quenching specimens elongated in the melt. Results for high capillary numbers and different viscosity ratios were compared to the linear theory of viscoelastic emulsions of Palierne. Simple expressions for the drop deformation could be obtained for Maxwell fluids, and the influence of viscoelasticity of matrix and inclusions on the drop deformation process was discussed. With respect to the Newtonian approximation, the description of some experimental data could be improved. However, the predictions of the viscoelastic model appeared to be very sensitive to the choice of relaxation times.