Lilian Hsiao : Colloids with tunable geometry and their effects on viscoelastic materials and suspensions (Sep 27, 2016 2:55 PM)

A central challenge in soft matter and materials science is the microscopic engineering of functional materials. Incorporating anisotropy here is of general interest, for example in actin networks, clay platelets, and polymer nanocomposites where geometry, ordering, and kinetics all play important roles in determining their properties. Nevertheless, forming a general connection between microstructure and macroscopic properties is not trivial. Here, I focus on the self-assembly and mechanics of colloidal materials with an emphasis on how shape anisotropy and interaction potential can be used to guide their design. I will first discuss the relevance of the physical interactions that give rise to a general class of colloidal gels, followed by how shape anisotropy can introduce metastable gelled states. I will also show that the slowed rotational dynamics caused by surface roughness and friction can lead to enhanced shear thickening that is not seen with smooth colloids. These results collectively show that particle-level interactions provide a powerful means to design soft materials at multiple length scales.

• Category: Geometry and Topology
• Duration: 01:34:47
• Date:  September 27, 2016 at 2:55 PM
• Views: 124
• Tags:   seminar, Triangle Topology Seminar