Characterizing the rheology, slip, and velocity profiles of lamellar gel networks

Abstract

The authors report the rheology and shear flow velocity profiles of pseudo-ternary “lamellar gel networks” commonly found in cosmetic emulsions such as creams, lotions, and hair conditioners, consisting of the cationic surfactant behentrimonium methosulfate, a fatty alcohol mixture of cetyl and stearyl alcohol, and water at surfactant/fatty alcohol mole fractions ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 and water mass fractions of 85%–97%. The high shear-thinning viscosity shows hysteresis in up- and down-ramps of the shear rate, with the gel “remembering” its highest shear for around 12 h before it heals and recovers its original viscosity. These materials exhibit rheological signatures characteristic of a soft glassy material (as described by the soft glassy rheology model) such as shear hysteresis, inhomogeneous velocity gradient, a solidlike creep response, power-law stress decay in step strain experiments, and high storage modulus relative to loss modulus over a wide range of frequencies, confirming its nearly elastic response for small deformations. Using particle image velocimetry (PIV) in steady shear experiments, a transition from a linear velocity profile to a pluglike profile was observed at shear rates above around 0.01 s−1. PIV also revealed macroscopic inhomogeneities including the development of fracture planes and shear bands, with rheology becoming gap-dependent and displaying some characteristics of solidlike friction.