How is Toothpaste made?

The manufacturing process for toothpaste involves mixing together several fluid and solid components to create the non-Newtonian polymer used to clean your teeth. Since water cannot be used, the mixing process is extremely complex and the source for many interesting physical phenomena which are studied via experiments and computer simulations. Research by Simona Migliozzi at University College London.

This video is part of a collaboration between FYFD and the Journal of Fluid Mechanics featuring a series of interviews with researchers from the APS DFD 2017 conference.

Sponsored by FYFD, the Journal of Fluid Mechanics, and the UK Fluids Network. Produced by Tom Crawford and Nicole Sharp with assistance from A.J. Fillo.

One comment

  1. Really poorly explained; this video offers no insight. The description for non-Newtonian fluids appears out of context (it would have been more informative to say something like “it does not flow like common fluids because it is a non-newtonian fluid, meaning its viscosity changes with applied force”). “No water can be used”. Why not? If If I knew very little about toothpaste I surely would not have learnt more from this video.

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