Fiber transport in confined microfluidic geometries

Transport of slender bodies in confined geometries is of interest in various industrial applications. For example, fibers are used in the oil industry to prevent losses of fluids into rock formations. We investigate experimentally and numerically the flow of advected isolated fibers and fiber suspensions in a confined microchannel. Fibers are fabricated in situ using a photo-polymerization method to ensure an excellent control of their geometry and their mechanical properties. First we present results of flow of an isolated fiber considering its initial orientation and the perturbation on the streamlines. The interactions of the fiber with the lateral borders of the channel can lead to regular oscillations of the fiber. We also study the collective dynamics of higher concentrations of fibers when forcing them through a restriction in the micro channel. In particular we address the question of the role of the initial orientation of the fibers on formation of aggregates or the clogging of the restrictions.