Out-of-Equilibrium bio-based polymeric complex fluids (OutBioPoly)
Complex fluids play an emerging role in fundamental research and have wide-ranging medical and industrial uses, ranging from biological fluids and drug delivery to food, textile, and personal care products. Complex fluids manifest non-Newtonian rheological behavior, changing their structures and properties due to shearinduced supramolecular transitions, leading to large changes (shear-thinning or shear-thickening) in bulk viscosity. This project focus on an innovative high-throughput thermomechanical approach to induce supramolecular transitions in polymeric bio-based complex fluids, specifically, biopolymers in natural solvents. High shear rates will promote the formation of out-of-equilibrium structures. The aims are to understand the supramolecular transition mechanism, improve thermomechanical processes for regenerating materials, and ultimately produce materials with interesting properties for future applications. These materials may have novel applications ranging from shear-thickening bulletproof jackets or heat-resistant materials for aerospace to self-healing membranes.
Published works
Talk
Gentile L., "Cellulose-based active materials: from semidilute unentangled solutions to films project" ECIS2024 38th Conference of the European Colloid & Interface Society- September 1-6, 2024 - Copenhagen (Denmark)
Instrumentation
Electrospinning/Electrospraying Multi-Nozzle system
Equipped with:
Single High Voltage Power Supply Unit: 0-30kVolt
Syringe Heater
EFA150 Fume hood
Optical Microscope with polarizers
Equipped with:
63x
Under Delivery From Leica
Microfluidics Devices
Double pumps
Herringbone Mixer Chip