Complex Fluids and Multiphase Flows

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Aerosols, Emulsions, Suspensions, and Foams

In the Dutcher Lab, we are interested in fundamental studies of the dynamics of complex interfaces and multiphase flows, with a particular focus on environmental remediation. Complex fluids are fluidic mixtures featuring multiple phases and mesoscopic length scales, and include atmospheric aerosols, liquid-liquid emulsions, polymeric solutions, and colloidal suspensions. These interface-rich systems are all around us in our everyday lives.

Using macro and micro-scale flow measurements and analytic mathematical modeling, we explore such areas as the thermodynamics of electrolyte-containing atmospheric aerosols, fluid dynamics and rheology of polymeric and particle-laden solutions, and microfluidics of multiphase flows.

Lab News

  • March 2023:  Graduate student Meenal Rathi passed her CEMS written preliminary exam!  Nice work, Meenal!
  • March 2023:  Dutcher group alums Dr. Vishal Panwar and Cassandra Vargas' paper entitled "Dispersion and mixing dynamics of complex oil-in-water emulsions in Taylor-Couette flows" has been published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, as a part of a two-part special virtual issue in celebration the centennial of G.I. Taylor's seminal Philosophical Transition 1923 paper.  
  • Feb 2023:  Dr. Shihao Liu on successfully defending his Mechanical Engineering PhD thesis entitled "Thermodynamic Modeling and Experimental Characterization of Bubble and Droplet Surface Tension from Micrometer to Millimeter Scale."  Many congratulations, Shihao!!  
  • Jan 2023:  Graduate student Shu Yang has passed her Mechanical Engineering preliminary exam.  Congrats Shu!

See Archived News for more!