| NSF Org: |
DMR Division Of Materials Research |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | May 3, 2012 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | June 16, 2015 |
| Award Number: | 1205463 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Paul Sokol
DMR Division Of Materials Research MPS Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2012 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2016 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $520,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $520,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2013 = $130,000.00 FY 2014 = $120,000.00 FY 2015 = $120,000.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
3451 WALNUT ST STE 440A PHILADELPHIA PA US 19104-6205 (215)898-7293 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
209 S. 33rd Street Philadelphia PA US 19104-6396 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001314DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001415DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001516DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.049 |
ABSTRACT
****Technical Abstract****
This experimental program explores fundamental properties of complex fluids. Complex fluids are materials such as particle suspensions, emulsions, oil-water interfaces, polymer & surfactant solutions, liquid crystals, and mixtures thereof. A unifying feature of the proposed experiments is their focus on dynamics in complex fluids. One set of experiments will measure the vibrational properties of colloidal crystals with defects and in colloidal glasses & gels, with an eye towards elucidating connections between localized vibrations and internal rearrangements within these materials, especially in the absence of external stresses. A second set of experiments will investigate the effects associated with particle shape and interfacial interactions in drying colloidal drops. This work builds on the recent discovery that the geometric shape of suspended particles can be used to eliminate the famous coffee ring effect; we will carry out experiments to understand the nature of the novel elastic membranes that arise in these systems, i.e., via adsorption and interaction of the particles on the air-water surface. Soft materials find applications in the paint, food science, & cosmetics industries, in practical control of fluid rheologies & microfluidics, in cell biology, in high-tech problems such as photonics, printing & lithography, biochemical sensing, and in design of composites. Knowledge gained will enhance our ability to manipulate micro-/nano-particles and macromolecules in solution, providing insight for practical problems listed above. The program trains PhD students and post-docs in the science of soft materials and the technology of optical microscopy & micromanipulation; these students and post-docs, in turn, will leave Penn and strengthen the technological infrastructure of our nation.
****Non-Technical Abstract****
Complex fluids are materials such as colloidal suspensions, emulsions, oil-water interfaces, polymer & surfactant solutions, liquid crystals, and mixtures thereof. These soft materials find applications in the paint, food science, & cosmetics industries, in practical control of fluid rheologies & microfluidics, in cell biology, in high-tech problems such as photonics, printing & lithography, biochemical sensing, and in design of composites. The complex fluid research elucidates a wide-range of phenomena: probing vibrations in glasses, exploring the origin of internal rearrangements in glasses, and investigating the role of particle shape and interface deformation in affecting drying processes. Knowledge gained in these studies will enhance our ability to manipulate macromolecules in solution, providing insight for the many of the practical problems listed above. Technology developed as part of this research has led to the formation of two start-up nanotechnology companies and to a major collaboration with a larger chemical company. The program also teaches a new generation of PhD/post-doctoral scientists and engineers about soft materials and optical microscopy & micromanipulation; after finishing work here, these students and post-docs strengthen the technological and economic infrastructure of our nation.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
This experimental program explored fundamental properties of complex fluids and other soft matter. These materials include suspensions of particles, emulsions, oil-water interfaces, polymer & surfactant solutions, liquid crystals, and mixtures thereof. A unifying feature of the proposed experiments is their focus on the evolving structure and dynamics of the complex fluids. The completed experimental research taught us more about how to make glassy materials tough (less fragile), taught us new ways to understand and control how drops dry and deposit their contents, and helped us to understand and manipulate liquid crystals which live in water and are thus compatible with biomaterials. More specifically, one set of experiments elucidated a direct connection between the properties of local vibrations in a disordered solid and its propensity to rearrange in response to mechanical forces. Another group of experiments discovered that the shape of particle in a drying drop can dramatically affect the way the drop evaporates as well as the uniformity of the deposit it leaves afterwards. A third class of experiment studied so-called chromonic liquid crystals, which differ from liquid crystals used in computer display screens in that they happily live in water and are thus compatible with biomaterials and thus hold potential to couple liquid crystal technology with biomedicine. These experiments studied how the novel liquid crystals twist to form right-handed or left-handed materials and measured a unique kind of mechanical elasticity called saddle splay for the first time in this system class.
Broadly, the program developed new ability to formulate and manipulate micro- and nano-particles and macromolecules in solution. Thus the research enhances the science and technology enterprise that underpins applications efforts for US industries involved with sensing/actuation, microfluidics, drug delivery, photonics, printing, coatings, cosmetics, & agriculture. The program trained a new generation of scientists and engineers about soft materials, formulation, advanced optical microscopy, electro-optics, microfluidics, rheology & computation. After finishing, these PhD students & post-docs entered the work force and strengthened US technological & economic infrastructure. Finally, a diverse group of undergraduate & high school participants were stimulated every summer in the lab to pursue STEM education/career choices.
Last Modified: 09/26/2016
Modified by: Arjun G Yodh
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