This project focuses on some of the problems encountered due to the non-linear and non-equilibrium aspects of fluids. The manipulation of fluids is essential in many technologies from chemical and drug manufacturing to ink-jet printing. One goal of this project is to use computer simulations to explore the onset of jamming in systems such as glasses using ideas that came out of the concept of a jamming phase diagram. A second goal is to investigate transitions occurring in flowing liquids where topological singularities spontaneously develop. Experiments will study drop breakup and selective withdrawal spouts. These studies are important for the basic understanding of how to handle similar singularities that occur in many other areas of science. One proposed objective is for a medical technology that uses selective withdrawal to coat biological material. Because much of this research deals with macroscopic phenomena, it provides a particularly good starting place for bringing undergraduate and, indeed, high-school students into the laboratory. Postdoctoral research associates, graduate, and undergraduate students will be trained by working on these projects.
The manipulation of fluids is essential in many technologies from chemical and drug manufacturing to ink-jet printing. This project focuses on some of the problems encountered due to the non-linear and non-equilibrium aspects of this ubiquitous state of matter. One goal of this project is to use computer simulations to explore jammed systems such as glasses using ideas that came out of the concept of a jamming phase diagram. A second goal is to investigate transitions occurring in flowing liquids. Experiments will study drop breakup and selective withdrawal spouts. These studies are important for the basic understanding of how to handle singularities that occur in many areas of science. One proposed objective is for a medical technology to coat biological material. Training researchers to work in this broad area is clearly important for the future growth of this field, however there are relatively few universities where this type of research is actively pursued. Because much of this research deals with macroscopic phenomena, it provides a particularly good starting place for bringing undergraduate and, indeed, high-school students into the laboratory. Postdoctoral research associates, graduate, and undergraduate students will be trained by working on these projects.
