Wetting and Capillarity in Complex Systems

707. WE-Heraeus-Seminar

24 Nov - 29 Nov 2019

Where:

Physikzentrum Bad Honnef

Scientific organizers:

Prof. Dr. Siegfried Dietrich, MPI für Intelligente Systeme and U Stuttgart • Dr. Alberto Giacomello, Sapienza Università di Roma • Dr. Mykola Tasinkevych, University of Lisbon • Dr. Gleb Oshanin, Sorbonne Université

Wetting and capillarity phenomena are ubiquitous in nature, appearing in a variety of biological, physical, chemical and man-made systems, with applications which range, e.g., from microswimmers to the design of superhydrophobic surfaces. This seminar covers the emerging field of wetting in complex systems, where the notion “complex” applies either to the substrate, the liquid, or to the interaction between the two.  In particular, understanding wetting processes in complex systems is key to manipulate and to control the behavior of simple and complex fluids, such as liquid crystals, ionic liquids, active fluids, polymers, via chemically and topographically controlled structured substrates. 

The goal of the seminar is to achieve a “cross-fertilization” of ideas, understanding, and approaches between scientists who are working in diverse areas including Physics, Physical Chemistry, and Materials Science, all sharing an interest in wetting and capillarity. The seminar brings together a number of internationally recognized experts and young researchers who are using complementary methods — experimental, analytical, or simulation ones in order to address a number of issues which are important from both fundamental and practical viewpoints. More specifically (but not exclusively), the seminar will focus on four types of “complex systems”:

  1. Wetting of and flow on structured surfaces
  2. Wetting by complex fluids such as colloidal suspensions, emulsions, liquid crystals, ionic liquids, electrolytes, polymers
  3. Active interfaces: microswimmers, active colloids, reactive wetting, responsive surfaces 
  4. Colloids at fluid interfaces

The conference language will be English. The Wilhelm and Else Heraeus-Foundation bears the cost of full-board accommodation for all participants.