We introduce a new technique for probing the microscopic relaxation of magneto-viscoelastic materials consisting of magnetic particles embedded in a natural rubber matrix. Transversely coherent x-rays from a high brilliance synchrotron source are scattered by the magnetic particles, forming a speckle pattern at low scattering angles. The time dependence of this pattern is recorded with a CCD area detector while the sample is cyclically perturbed by a reversal of the magnetic field direction. The corresponding time-resolved scattering pattern probes both the dynamics of the particles and the relaxation of the matrix in which they are embedded. X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) reveals characteristic time scales for this relaxation by applying the intensity auto-correlation function to the time dependent speckle pattern. For low angle scattering, the wave vector dependence of the relaxation rate exhibits power law length scaling.

We demonstrate that a flowing liquid jet can be controllably split into two separate subfilaments through the application of a sufficiently strong tangential stress to the surface of the jet. In contrast, normal stresses can never split a liquid jet. We apply these results to observations of uncontrolled splitting of jets in electric fields. The experimental realization of controllable jet splitting would provide an entirely novel route for producing small polymeric fibers.

We present an analytical model for the bending of liquid jets and sheets from temperature gradients, as recently observed by Chwalek et al. ͓Phys. Fluids 14, L37 ͑2002͔͒. The bending arises from a local couple caused by Marangoni forces. The dependence of the bending angle on experimental parameters is presented, in qualitative agreement with reported experiments. The methodology gives a simple framework for understanding the mechanisms for jet and sheet bending.

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