The current work investigates two
phase flow visualization in a micro channel using micron resolution particle
image velocimetry (μPIV). Droplets of both oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions were generated in a T-shaped PDMS micro fluidic device and the
corresponding flow fields were measured down-stream in the divergent section of
the device.
The oil-in-water emulsions were formed in a hydrophilically
modified PDMS micro channel using plasma polymerization of acrylic acid. To obtainthe velocity fields in both types of emulsions, fluorescent particles of 0.86 m
size were added into the dispersed water phase in the case of water-in-oil
emulsions, and in the continuous water phase in the case of oil-in-water
emulsions. The phenomena of flow behavior within the droplets and around the
droplets were investigated in detail in a diverging micro channel