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arXiv · 2512.16830

Rayleigh-B\'enard thermal convection in emulsions: a short review

Francesca Pelusi·Andrea Scagliarini·Mauro Sbragaglia·Massimo Bernaschi·Roberto Benzi
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Abstract

Thermally driven emulsions arise in a broad range of natural and industrial contexts, yet their fundamental physical understanding remains only partially established. Emulsions exhibit a complex, concentration-dependent rheology, ranging from Newtonian (dilute emulsions) to yield-stress (concentrated emulsions). In buoyancy-driven flows, the complex structure and rheology of the emulsion are strongly coupled to convective flows, giving rise to fascinating and non-trivial phenomena involving stability, transient dynamics, and morphological evolution of the system. We review recent progress on thermally driven emulsions in the celebrated Rayleigh-B\'enard configuration, offering new perspectives on the behaviour of soft materials in thermal convection.

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Francesca Pelusi, Andrea Scagliarini, Mauro Sbragaglia, Massimo Bernaschi, Roberto Benzi. 2025-12-18. Rayleigh-B\'enard thermal convection in emulsions: a short review. https://doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075%2Fae58cd

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