Microstructure of the fluid particles around the rigid body at the shear-thickening state toward understanding of the fluid mechanics

We studied the shear-thickening behavior of systems containing rigid spherical bodies immersed in smaller particles using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. We generated shear-thickening states through particle mass modulation of the systems. From the microstructures, i.e., two-dimensional pair distribution functions, we found anisotropic structures resulting from shear thickening, that are explained by the difference between the velocities of rigid bodies and fluid particles. The increasing viscosity in our system originated from collisions between fluid particles and rigid bodies. The lubrication forces defined in macroscale physics are then briefly discussed.