Shock waves, crack propagation and cavitation inception upon high-energy impact on a shear-thickening fluid

Shear-thickening fluids exhibit an increase in viscosity with increasing shear rate, which in extreme cases can lead to jamming and even fracture. Here, we will use the single-stage gas gun already installed at ID19 to drive an impact-generated shock wave into a sample located in the test chamber. The sample is a small enclosed container with a shear-thickening liquid (cornstarch mixed with water). This will expose the sample to extreme conditions of shock. X-ray phase-contrast imaging would allow time-resolved visualization of a shock wave propagating through the liquid and possible identification of the occurrence of cracks in the liquid caused either by the shock wave itself or by the occurrence of acceleration-induced cavitation bubbles in the liquid bulk. We will use the same setup as in the previous two weeks of Shock BAG (MI-1464), MA-5934 and IH-MA-431.