Stability analysis of stratified coating flow of shear-thinning fluids

This study is a linear stability analysis of a two-layer non-Newtonian film flow driven by gravity down an inclined plane. The fluids rheology is described by the Carreau law. The effects of density stratification are studied in the case of a less viscous layer adjacent to the wall, which is favourable to interfacial instabilities. We highlight that shear-thinning can have stabilizing as well as destabilizing effects according to the wavelength and the position of the Carreau fluid layers