The investigator combines multiscale modeling, analysis, and computation to study a variety of polymeric liquids of anisotropic microstructures. The microstructure of these polymeric liquids consists of anisotropic polymers and nanoparticles whose configuration, conformation, rigidity/flexibility, and chemical properties interact with the other constituents in the materials as well as the macroscopic flow field to effect molecular scale or nanoscale alignment that controls the ultimate performance properties of the materials. One of the goals of the project is to study how the macroscopic flow field interacts with the micro-structure of the complex fluids, leading to novel mesoscale morphology, and ultimately influences the rheological as well as the material properties at the macroscopic level. Other goals include studying how various molecular geometries affect macroscopic material and rheological properties, phase transitions, and mesoscopic structure formation, wave propagation in biaxial liquid crystalline polymers, and external field assisted flow processing of polymeric materials and nanocomposites.
The investigator develops state-of-the-art multiscale theories and models to study material and rheological properties of liquid crystalline polymers and polymer-nanoparticle composites and their fluid dynamics in various processing conditions. The project is motivated by new discoveries and emerging applications in nanomaterials and nanotechnologies. A good understanding of the new materials and new processing methods not only advances science, but also has implications for industrial applications in materials and nanotechnology.
