Glenn Evans is supported by a grant from the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Program to continue his formal theoretical studies of elementary models for complex fluids consisting of micelles and liquid crystals. He will study both the static and dynamic properties of these complex systems. The static behavior studies will be based on an extension of Stell's modification of Wertheim's theory. The goal of this work is to understand how micelles and cell membranes self assemble. The aim of the dynamical studies is to understand how micelles coagulate or fracture when their dilute solutions are subjected to shear flow. The dynamical studies will be based on an adaptation of the theory of nuclear collisions for soft condensed matter. Results will be compared with molecular dynamics simulations. Amphiphiles are complex molecules. They can behave as anionic, cationic, zwitterionic and nonionic surfactants. At the appropriate critical concentration, they can self assemble into micelles such as those found in common detergents. When biologically significant amphiphiles such as cholines self assemble to form monolayers, these layers constitute cell walls. Evans' research seeks to find a molecular based theory that will elucidate the complex properties of amphiphiles, and that will ultimately help us to determine how to design amphiphiles with desired chemical and physical properties.
