(2gz) Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Soft Materials

My research interests can be categorized as:

• Self Assembly in Soft matter
• Structure and dynamics of Colloidal gels and glasses
• Nanocomposite synthesis and characterization
• X-ray and neutron scattering techniques
• Rheology

Soft materials comprised of colloidal particles are commonly encountered in industry, nature and are of fundamental interest in the field of science and technology. An important attribute of soft materials is their response to change in external stimuli such as temperature, pH, light or electric field which makes them functional soft material. A knowledge of the dynamics of colloidal dispersions may also prove useful for the understanding of many anisometric biological systems including proteins and bacteria, such as tuberculosis. My research interest focusses on characterization of the microstructure of these particle gels with an objective of a better understanding of the complex rheology of such gels as well as characterize the strength of inter-particle interactions. Recently, I developed a new model system of hollow octadecyl-coated silica rods with reduced dimensions of 30-300 nm, tunable aspect ratio and thermoreversible attractions. We utilize the information from scattering studies to map a universal state diagram for anisotropic particles with short-range interactions, which shall advance the fundamental understanding of the various anisotropic colloidal dispersions used in the formulation and processing of particle technologies. Previously, I focused on understanding the microstructure and viscoelasticity of colloidal gels and polymer gels. I am also involved in investigating the temperature driven self-assembly in colloidal gels using rheology and scattering techniques. In summary, I combine expertise from Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry and several experimental techniques to understand the structure, dynamics, rheology and molecular phenomena that is responsible for the flow behavior in soft glassy materials.