Abstract
We investigate the rheological characteristics of human blood plasma in shear and elongational flows. While we can confirm a Newtonian behavior in shear flow within experimental resolution, we find a viscoelastic behavior of blood plasma in the pure extensional flow of a capillary breakup rheometer. The influence of the viscoelasticity of blood plasma on capillary blood flow is tested in a microfluidic device with a contraction-expansion geometry. Differential pressure measurements revealed that the plasma has a pronounced flow resistance compared to that of pure water. Supplementary measurements indicate that the viscoelasticity of the plasma might even lead to viscoelastic instabilities under certain conditions. Our findings show that the viscoelastic properties of plasma should not be ignored in future studies on blood flow.
- Received 16 August 2012
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.078305
© 2013 American Physical Society
Focus
FocusBlood Plasma is Not So Normal
Published 15 February 2013
Experiments show that blood plasma has elastic properties that could influence the way blood flows through small vessels.
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