The stability of a long cylindrical domain in a phase-separating binary fluid in an external shear flow is investigated by linear stability analysis. Using the coupled Cahn-Hilliard and Stokes equations, the stability eigenvalues are derived analytically for long-wavelength perturbations, for arbitrary viscosity contrast between the two phases. The shear flow is found to suppress and sometimes completely stabilize both the hydrodynamic Rayleigh instability and the thermodynamic instability of the cylinder against varicose perturbations, by mixing with nonaxisymmetric perturbations. The results are consistent with recent observations of a “string phase” in phase-separating fluids in shear.

• Received 18 May 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.58.3495