| Summary: | The behavior of model three phase solid/liquid/liquid systems has been studied in the external fields of shear or gravity. Observations of the deformation and break-up of solid-liquid clusters in a simple shear field has led to an investigation of various aspects of separation and coalescence phenomena: the interaction of solid particles and drops in simple shear, film thinning processes, the thermodynamics of engulfment and solid-liquid separation by the external fields. === A microrheological approach was used to determine which parameters are important to the behavior of these systems in simple shear. Among the most important were found to be the liquid/liquid interfacial tension, the incidence of three phase contact and/or the wettability of the solid surface. === The importance of these paramters was also investigated in the formation and stability of sphere-drop systems in a gravitational field, and the detachment of the liquid drop by surface and gravitational forces. === Extensions to existing theory have been made to include gravitational effects in the thinning of a liquid film which forms around a sphere. Finally, an asymptotic solution to the Laplace equation of capillarity has been developed which may be applied to various axisymmetric liquid/fluid interfaces not too far from spherical shape. === The findings in this thesis are highly relevant to various industrial processes (such as in the production of oil, minerals, paper, etc.) where three phase systems are encountered.
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