The complex rheological behavior of a simple yield stress fluid

Abstract Concentrated emulsions and foams and microgels are comprised of deformable particles making these materials display complex rheological behavior that includes a yielding transition from an elastic solid to viscous fluid. Most studies of this class of soft matter involve shear flows and only a few report both shear and normal stresses. Here, we report measurements of the shear stress and two normal stress differences for a Carbobol microgel, which is usually classified as simple yield stress fluid, subjected to constant shear rate flows. Similar to our previous study, the shear stress evolves through the yield point in a manner indicative of simple yield stress fluid behavior while the normal stress differences evolve in a reproducibly chaotic manner. We also find that the evolution of the stresses is dependent on the whether the microgel has been in a state of relaxation or recovery prior to the measurement.