Title: Engineering of multiphase soft materials at the microscale

Abstract

The stability and rheology of multiphase materials like foams, emulsions, and immiscible polymer blends is largely dictated by the characteristics of the involved interfaces and the dynamics of the thin liquid films separating interacting droplets or bubbles. When two bubbles approach each other closely, they typically form a thin liquid film (TLF) between them, which gradually thins through drainage. This drainage process, and consequently the stability of TLFs, is heavily influenced by interfacial stresses and intermolecular interactions arising from surface-active species like synthetic copolymers and proteins, which readily adsorb at the interfaces. In this seminar, we will explore how novel experimental techniques such as the microfluidic thin film balance and interfacial rheometry, provide unparalleled insights into nano- and micro-scale physics. We will specifically focus on films stabilized by synthetic copolymers and newly sourced proteins, as these components are expected to be pivotal in addressing emerging challenges linked to sustainable development.