Vivek Sharma’s Soft Matter ODES-lab

Optics, Dynamics, Elasticity, & Self-Assembly (ODES)

We elucidate the influence of size, shape, dynamics, & interactions of dispersed phases (polymers, micelles, particles, proteins, drops, & bubbles) on stability, rheology, fizzics, processability, and applications of complex fluids, motivated by curiosities and challenges from industry and academia.

Quests: polymer physics, biophysics, fluid mechanics, interfacial science, optics, scaling analysis, and pattern formation.

Engineering Plant-based Foods & Sustainable Formulations

RESEARCH

Expertise and Interests: Fizzics, Optics, Rheology and Mechanics (FORM) of complex fluids and soft materials, including Polymers, Foams, Surfactants, Emulsions, Liquid Crystals, Proteins, Polyelectrolytes, Colloidal Sols, and Printable Inks.

PEOPLE

Seven Ph.D. students, a few M.S. students, and many enthusiastic U.G.s.

Alumni include seven Ph. D.s, a dozen M.S. students, and over a hundred & thirty-five U.G. students.

PUBLICATIONS 

Spreading, pinching, and coalescence: the Ohnesorge units, M. A. Fardin*, M. Hautefeuille, and V. Sharma, Soft Matter,  2022. SI_SM2022 OhnesorgeUnits_SM2022

TEACHING & OUTREACH 

Courses (2023-24): CHE 512: Microhydrodynamics (G),  CHE 457: Colloidal and Interfacial Phenomena (G/ UG), CHE 454: Molecular and Macromolecular Engineering (G/UG); CHE 392: UG Research; CHE 595: Seminar.

*ODES: definitions (selected):

Etymology.com: Words like cathode, anode, electrode, diode, method & period contain Greek ‘hodos’ (-ode) meaning way or path.
Wolfram page: Ordinary Differential Equation, an equality involving a function and its derivative. N.B: Our group loves PDEs just as well.
Poets.org says: “Ode” comes from the Greek aeidein, meaning to sing or chant, and belongs to the long and varied tradition of lyric poetry.

We welcome questions, suggestions, curiosities