How do closed-compact multi-lamellar droplets form under shear flow? A possible mechanism

The formation of closed-compact multi-lamellar droplets obtained upon shearing both a lamellar phase $(L_{\alpha})$ and a two-phase–separated lamellar-sponge ($L_{\alpha}$-L3) mixture is investigated as a function of the shear rate $\dot{\gamma}$, using small-angle light scattering (SALS) and cross-polarized optical microscopy. In both systems the formation of droplets occurs homogeneously in the cell at a well-defined wave vector $q_{\ab{e}}\propto \dot{\gamma}^{1/3}$ via a strain-controlled process. These results suggest that the formation of droplets may be monitored in both systems by a buckling instability of the lamellae as predicted from a recent theory.