Collapse mechanisms and extreme deformation of particle-laden interfaces

Particle-laden interfaces are at the basis of many advanced materials, such as bijels and dry water. While the final properties of these materials can generally be controlled, their response to deformation during processing and use is still poorly understood. In particular, the dynamics of particle-laden interfaces in relevant flow conditions is receiving increasing attention. These conditions are typically highly dynamic and can involve unsteady flow or large deformations. This article gives an overview of the remarkable phenomena of particle-laden interfaces undergoing deformations of large amplitude and at high strain rate, in other words extreme deformation. Upon large-amplitude compression, a monolayer of particles can collapse by buckling or by expelling particles in the liquid. The criteria for buckling or expulsions, as well as recent experiments in highly dynamic conditions, are discussed, showing that these criteria can depend also on the rate of deformation. The emerging use of ultrasound-driven bubbles as an experimental platform for controlled deformation of particle-laden interfaces at high strain rate is also discussed. The ability to control the fate of particles at interfaces during dynamic deformation of droplets or bubbles ultimately underpins a variety of applications from controlled release to catalysis.