CAREER: Entropic Control of Colloidal Stability, Phase Transition, and Particle Deposition: Theory of Depletion Forces

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AbstractCTS-0133780D. Corti, Purdue UniversityThis proposal lies at the frontier in an area, self-assembly in dense suspensions, in which theory lags behind rapidly evolving experimental techniques. The focus on geometrically-based statistical mechanics and novel simulations to address entropy-driven processes promises research at a high intellectual level. The theory has a clear physical basis and is relatively simple, but not easy, and is complemented by an experimental effort in collaboration with a group equipped to measure interparticle potentials directly. This approach might be powerful and simple enough to provide guidance for experimentalists seeking to self-assemble novel structures and to appeal to others applying statistical mechanics. The educational effort wisely concentrates on the undergraduate curriculum for chemical engineering, particularly the thermodynamic content. There is much to gain from linking course content to physically accessible topics in graduate research.