Emulsification using elastic turbulence

► Elastic turbulence is investigated for a constant viscosity Boger fluid and a highly concentrated polymer solution. ► Elastic turbulence is used to create oil-in-water emulsions. ► This methodology thus offers a unique pathway for creating emulsions under certain Reynolds and Capillary number conditions. In this short communication we show that so-called “elastic turbulence” – a chaotic flow driven by elastic stresses observable even in the absence of inertia – can be used to create emulsions from immiscible viscous liquids in a simple shear mixing device. In the absence of elasticity, but at identical viscosity ratio, Reynolds and Capillary numbers, no mixing is observed and the immiscible liquids remain separated. Elastic turbulence thus offers a unique pathway to create dispersions in viscous liquids at low Reynolds numbers in nominally shear-dominated flows.