CLASS · Complex Liquids At Structured Surfaces

The topography and surface chemistry of substrates is now recognised to significantly impact on the feasibility and quality of many industrial processes where wetting and self-assembly phenomena play a major role. In the emerging lab-on-a-chip technologies based on integrated microfluidic devices, surface forces dominate, and inertial plays only a secondary role. Therefore, tailoring the solid-liquid and liquid-liquid interfaces may provide efficient control of both the flow of liquids and the processes taking place inside the chip. Our project is motivated by significant practical problems such as how to design smart coatings or ionic-liquid-based supercapacitors, and draws inspiration from solutions found in the natural world. We synergistically combine the analytical, computational, and experimental strengths of three research groups (Stuttgart, Lisbon and Brookhaven, New York) in an effort aimed at understanding and predicting the wetting of topographically and/or chemically patterned solid substrates by complex fluids, such as room temperature ionic liquids or liquid crystals. The exchange program comprises individual staff exchanges, ensuring continuous active interactions between experiment, computation and theory and contributing to the strengthening of the research partnership; and a networking component of workshops, mini-courses and seminars, ensuring an effective exchange of knowledge, cross-training of ESRs and ERs and dissemination of results. The proposed exchange scheme will establish a solid close collaboration between the theoretical and computational European groups and the U.S. partner, who are focused on experimental science. Synergistic integration of the complementary skills of the groups will produce cutting-edge science, strengthen the European-American scientific relations, and substantially contribute to the training of very mobile young researchers with access to world-class research facilities within an international network.