Effective osmotic pressure of foams in short-term dynamics

Abstract

Foams exhibit absorptive properties and are widely used for cleaning contaminants, oil recovery, and selective mineral extraction via froth flotation. Although foam absorption has historically been linked to equilibrium osmotic pressure, empirical observations show that drainage occurs at levels much lower than theoretical predictions. In this study, we investigate the effective osmotic pressure in foams. The experimental findings indicate that effective osmotic pressure is primarily influenced by short-term dynamics and is governed by the yield stress rather than equilibrium osmotic pressure. Gravity-induced flow drives bubble movement downward, subjecting the lower bubbles to increased pressure. Once the pressure exerted by the solution exceeds the yield stress, internal bubble rearrangement occurs, and drainage is promoted by the relaxation of inter-bubble repulsive forces. In contrast, below the yield stress, these repulsive forces suppress drainage. While foams have traditionally been modeled as immobile porous media, the reality involves kinematic coupling between the solution and the bubbles, which establishes yield stress as the key factor in determining effective osmotic pressure. This framework is also relevant to the dynamics of soft jammed systems, such as blood flow in vessels, emulsions, and biological tissues, offering significant advancements in the understanding of soft jammed system behavior.