Non-Newtonian viscosity of Escherichia coli suspensions.

Jérémie Gachelin, Gastón Miño, Hélène Berthet, Anke Lindner, Annie Rousselet, Eric Clément

PMMH-ESPCI, UMR 7636 CNRS-ESPCI-Universities Pierre et Marie Curie and Denis Diderot, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France.

Physical review letters 2013 Jun 28

filter terms:

The viscosity of an active suspension of E. coli bacteria is determined experimentally as a function of the shear rate using a Y-shaped microfluidic channel. From the relative suspension viscosity, we identify rheological thickening and thinning regimes as well as situations at low shear rate where the viscosity of the bacteria suspension can be lower than the viscosity of the suspending fluid. In addition, bacteria concentration and velocity profiles in the bulk are directly measured in the microchannel.

Citation

Jérémie Gachelin, Gastón Miño, Hélène Berthet, Anke Lindner, Annie Rousselet, Eric Clément. Non-Newtonian viscosity of Escherichia coli suspensions. Physical review letters. 2013 Jun 28;110(26):268103