Research in the Osuji lab is centered on experimental studies of structure and dynamics of soft materials and complex fluids. The principal areas of interest are supramolecular structures and liquid crystalline order in polymers, directed self-assembly of soft mesophases and polymer nanocomposites, kinetic arrest and aging of disordered complex fluids, rheology of colloidal suspensions, and microfluidic studies of multiphase flows. The work of the group is strongly motivated by the potential to develop functional materials and devices is several cases. We are particularly interested in applications in clean water and clean energy generation, analytical separations, nanomaterials synthesis and engineering better complex fluids in many forms. More information about, and contact details for Prof. Osuji are available here. Lab openings are listed here.
-
Electrosprayed block copolymers
images/electrosprayed_SEBS.pngAFM image of an electrosprayed thin film of a triblock copolymer showing well-ordered cylindrical domains of poly(styrene).
-
Magnetically aligned block copolymers
images/peo_lc_saxs_gisaxs.pngX-ray scattering from magnetically aligned PEO block copolymers. These are interesting materials for ionic transport membranes.
-
Membranes with aligned 1-nm pores
images/nanoporous_film.jpgMagnetic alignment and cross-linking of discotic mesophases yield flexible, tough plastic membranes with 1-nm nanopores normal to the film surface.
-
Morphology of field-aligned membranes
images/nanoporous_film_TEM.jpgTEM imaging reveals highly ordered hexagonally packed channels aligned by a magnetic field. The dark regions are stained phenyl rings surrounding 1-nm pores.
-
Microfluidic microcapsules
images/microcapsules_microfluidic.pngSoft monodosperse microcapsules made by polyelectroltye complexation across an oil-water interface.
-
Thermally switchable aligned nanopores
images/thermally_switching_pores.pngMagnetically aligned block copolymers are etched to provide aligned nanopores which can be reversibly closed and opened by heating and cooling.
-
Dried lyotropic ZnO texture
images/lyotropic_ZnO_dried.pngDried film of lyotropic ZnO nanowires.
-
Aligned lyotropic mesophase
images/PM_BRIJ56_SAXS_splash.pngX-ray Scattering from a highly aligned hexagonal lyotropic mesophase.
-
Vorticity aligned structures
images/carbon_black_shear_structures_r.jpgHighly anisotropic vorticity aligned flocs in sticky colloidal dispersions.
-
Polymer-surfactant complex
images/polysurf_splash.pngDifferent sequence distributions of hydrogen bonded surfactants along polymer backbone.
-
Selective transport
images/selective_transport.jpgSelective transport of ions or other species in a block copolymer thin film membrane.
-
Shear thickening
images/AN_critical_stress_graph.jpgShear thickening in sticky colloidal dispersions is controlled by a critical stress.
-
Scattering degeneracy
images/degeneracy_scattering_axes.pngScattering from degenerate alignment of lamellar liquid crystalline block copolymers
-
Supramolecular LC polymer
images/MG_SAXS.jpgPolymer-Surfactant complexes form temperature dependent liquid crystalline phases.
-
Birefringent lyotropic texture
images/lc_texture.pngBirefringent texture of a lyotropic mesophase viewed through crossed polarizers.
-
Kinetic arrest
images/kinetic_arrest_laponite350.pngKinetic arrest in colloidal suspensions displays a characteristic signature, with arrest times exponentially dependent on applied stresses.
