Research
Research theme: Synthesizing and developing structure-property relationships in soft condensed matter systems
The vision of iSOFT lab is to advance the understanding of the flow and deformation behavior of soft condensed materials, through cutting-edge research, innovative methodologies, and facilitate novel engineering design opportunities.
We work towards achieving this vision and identify fundamental research questions as listed below.
Theme 1: Rheological characterization of phase transitions in thermoresponsive gels under physiological conditions
A thermoresponsive hydrogel finds extensive utility in drug delivery, tissue engineering, biotechnology, and smart materials. With their reversible phase transitions in response to temperature changes, they offer controlled drug release, cell culture scaffolds, wound dressings, and the fabrication of responsive surfaces. Through heating, the hydrogel can undergo gelation, showcasing its thermoresponsive nature. This characteristic is pivotal for facilitating targeted drug delivery. Consequently, it becomes imperative to ascertain the gelation temperature and phase behavior of thermoresponsive hydrogels to comprehensively understand their gelation mechanisms, particularly under physiological conditions. The primary characterization method for this study is rheology, complemented by additional scattering and spectroscopic techniques. Rheology is the study of the flow and deformation of materials, particularly liquids and soft solids like gels and pastes. It explores how materials respond to applied forces, including their viscosity, elasticity, and flow behavior, which are crucial for various industrial, scientific, and engineering applications. This study aims to offer valuable insights into the phase behavior of thermoresponsive hydrogel and enduring issue of how the changes in physiological conditions can affect the gelation of colloidal systems.
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Theme 2: Strengthening of colloidal gels by incorporation of rough nanoparticles
Colloidal gels have a broad range of applications owing to their tunable functionalities due to mesoporous materials. However, they often have weak mechanical properties and lack flexibility. Their central forces and smooth particle surfaces limit resistance to deformation and restructuring. This work will aim to enhance colloidal gels by adding surface roughness to particles, altering their yield strain with non-central interactions. We aim to synthesize particles of varying roughness and dimensions and investigate the effect of these parameters on the overall yield strain of the gels prepared from the synthesized particles. The synthesized particles will be functionalized to have temperature-responsive short-range attractive interactions between them when dispersed in an appropriate solvent. These synthesized particles can form gels of improved toughness and can have potential application in 3D printing.
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Preparation of oleogels
Oleogels are semi-solid materials formed by the gelation of liquid oil with a gelator, typically through a process called oleogelation. These materials exhibit solid-like properties while containing a large amount of liquid oil trapped within a three-dimensional network structure. In this study, we shall explore the use of edible oil to form Oleogels. The prepared oleogels will be characterized using rheology and microscopy techniques and the properties shall be compared to their conventional products. These oleogels will find applications in various industries, including food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products, where they are used as alternatives to solid fats or gelling agents to improve product texture, stability, and functionality.