Nanorheology and Fine Powder Flow

The objective of this work is systematic understanding of particle-particle nanorheology based on the single particle-particle contact of two atomically-smooth solid surfaces in molecularly-thin proximity. The main relevance is to understand the origins of suspension rheology, especially the origins of rheological anomalies that arise when interfacial films between two solid bodies are so thin that the intuition of what to expect based on bulk rheology no longer applies. Based on this understanding, we are seeking to develop new methods to control and manipulate the properties of their interfacial films.