Dynamics of an electrically charged polymer jet

Electro-hydrodynamic equations describing the behavior of a charged polymer jet are analyzed by analytical methods and scaling approach. A FENE-P constitutive equation is employed to describe the viscoelastic properties of a conducting polymer liquid. Effects of the electric field, the flow rate, and the material parameters on the jet dynamics are investigated. Four different regimes are examined. In particular, a regime in which the electric current is linearly proportional to the electric field and independent on the flow rate and a regime in which the electric current is linearly proportional to the flow rate and independent on the electric field are identified. An operating window limiting the region of a stable cone-jet mode is also considered. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.