Name of Research Group:Soft Matter Physics Lab (SMPL)

Description of Research Group:Our research interests are the classical topics in the soft matter physics, including the wetting phenomena, the passive and active Brownian motion in confined space and the self-assembly away from equilibrium state.

Colloidal particles in the Hele-Shaw cell exhibit distinct dynamics due to the confinement. The interaction among the particles make the problem much complicated. The microscopic collision process between particles and the thinning fluid layer surrounded is intriguing in the confined 2D system. By using the thermal controlling, magnetic (electric) filed we play the games on the Brownian motion of the passive particles and active stochastic microswimmers.

Recently, we are employing the bacteria, E. Coli, to illustrate the hydrodynamic behavior in the microfluidic channels, and the run-tumble active random motion. We quantitatively measure the bacteria orientation responding to the surrounding fluid flow, especially when the mean velocity of the fluid is comparable with the swimming velocity of the bacteria. We are extremely attracted to the collective motion, active rheology of the bacteria in the limited slow Poisseuille flow in the microfluidic channels.

Meanwile, drying suspension on diverse substrates with varying conditions is another topic we are still working on. Wetting control by nanostructured semiconductor materials is dedicated to the drying pattern from the colloidal suspension. Pressure (high pressure/vacuum) and temperature (heating and frozen) are used to control the drying dynamics of drops with the complex fluid.

Team members Introduction:

课题：细菌在血液中的运动及其医学应用

血液在维持生命中起关键作用之一，从流变角度上看，血液包含不同组分的复杂流体，且具备非牛顿流变性质，从而为细菌运动提供了一个经典非牛顿流体的应用场景。本人的研究将围绕细菌在非牛顿流体，尤其粘弹流体中运动行为，理解细菌在鞭毛驱动下的游动特性，以及在实际血液中活性抑制效应。进而考虑体内不断循环流动的血液与高度复杂的毛细血管场景，本人进一步考察细菌的感染路径及其对血液诱导的疾病关联性。