Dynamics of confined liquids under shear

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Abstract
Shear thinning of confined liquids is studied in the framework of the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation coupled to a shear-induced velocity field. A scaling relationship between the effective viscosity and the shear rate is analytically derived with an exponent that depends on the velocity profile within the liquid and on the boundary conditions. Thinning is observed for shear rates faster than typical liquid relaxation rates. Relevance to existing systems and predictions amenable to new experiments are discussed.