Objectives: DC4 will investigate the physical phenomena underlying the new rearrangement mechanism discovered by TUD / FORTH in colloidal gels with ultrasound-activated inclusions. S / he will explore its potential for controlled structuring of model colloidal gels and new products. The effects of ultrasound frequency (10-100 kHz) and size / density of inclusions on the resulting metastable states will be investigated. The microstructure will be characterized using confocal microscopy and microstructural analysis (e.g., local void size, bond order parameters). To overcome the limited time resolution of a confocal microscope, the DC will also explore the possibility of implementing new optical imaging methods (optical coherence tomography, OCT)with INPRO. Experimental results will be interpreted with the help of computer simulations performed at UU (de Graaf). Methods and protocols will be implemented in industrially relevant model systems to explore novel structuring routes for personal care products (UNILUK), food products (UNIL) and battery electrolytes (SUNL).
Industrial secondments: The DC be at INPRO (8M/M13-20)for training on optical methods, and to evaluate the feasibility of real-time diagnostics of structuring by ultrasound-activated inclusions using OCT; UNIL (3M/M7-9) for training on rheological protocols for consumer products; develop an industrially relevant model system; test method on food products; UNILUK (3M/M26-28, personal care products; SUNL (4M/M31-34) to test method in battery applications.
Academic secondments: FORTH (0.5M in M16): measuring high-frequency rheological properties (up to 1kHz) with piezo-shear rheometer.
