Modeling of morphology and rheology of complex fluids

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The development of high performance materials, nanotechnology and biological and biomedical applications require knowledge of the relationship between microscopic (on the nanoscale) morphology and overall (macroscopic) thermodynamic, flow, and mechanical properties. The objective of this project is to provide such knowledge by developing an original multiscale modeling. I have introduced a general framework for this type of modeling in 1984. I have also organized the first International Workshop on Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics on which the framework was discussed (IWNET 1996 in Montreal). The fifth IWNET will take place next year in Mexico. The framework, known as thermodynamic (GENERIC) framework, is now widely used in modeling rheological and thermodynamic properties of complex fluids (like nanoparticle suspensions, immiscible blends, suspensions of membranes etc.). The novelty (and also the power) of the new approach lies in adding to the requirement of the conservation laws (giving the basis to classical hydrodynamics) two other requirements: (i) compatibility with thermodynamics, and (ii) compatibility with mechanics . One of the main advantages of the thermodynamic framework is that it can be used for any set of state variables, notably then for both nanoscale and macroscopic state variables and also for their combinations (which then lead to multilevel models). In terms of the proposed project I intend to continue to develop both the fundamental aspects and applications of the framework. In particular, I am proposing to develop a rheological model of human blood allowing to recognize pathological red cells from r4sults of rheological measurements. Also, results of this project will contribute to nanotechnology, in particular then to processing of polymer layered silicate nanocomposites and other nanoparticle composites.