Study on microstructure and rheological characteristics of surfactant solution

Brownian dynamics simulation of dilute surfactant solution was performed under steady shear flow. A micelle in the solution was modeled as a rod consisting of some beads which are connected linearly, and Lennard-Jones potential and soft-sphere potential were used as the inter-beads interaction for end-end beads and interior-interior beads respectively. Verlet algorithm was used in the simulation. Micellar structures and rheological characteristics of surfactant solution at different shear rates were obtained. Micellar network could be formed at low shear rates, but was destroyed at high shear rates. Shear viscosities and first normal stress coefficients showed shear thinning characteristics. The relationship between the surfactant microstructure and rheological characteristics was revealed.