Experimental study of the interaction of near-wall flow with flexible polymers at micro-scale

拟议的项目是亚琛工业大学空气动力学研究所与海德堡大学Spatz教授和萨尔布吕肯大学Zimmermann教授研究小组合作的一部分。实验研究的目的是详细分析近壁流与固定在柔性微柱顶部的聚合物在定义的剪切流中的相互作用。微制造的弹性体柱用于将大分子定位在限定的壁距离中，并通过柱弯曲测量聚合物的变形力。的微柱和锚定的聚合物与流动的相互作用进行了详细研究，使用粒子图像测速测量在微尺度（micro-PIV）和时移显微镜。实验研究允许详细分析流场如何使系留聚合物变形以及流场如何通过聚合物的存在进行修改，这两个问题都由合作伙伴之一Zimmermann教授进行了理论研究。此外，流场的详细知识对于理解由Spatz教授的小组用类似装置研究的剪切诱导的运输和生化反应是重要的。他们使用微柱表面作为力测量装置，用于研究生物分子网络上的生化反应。

The proposed project is part of a cooperation of the Institute of Aerodynamics, RWTH Aachen with the research group of Prof. Spatz, Univ. Heidelberg and Prof. Zimmermann, Univ. Saarbrücken. The aim of the experimental study is the detailed analysis of the interaction of near-wall flow with polymers anchored on top of flexible micropillars in a defined shear flow. The micro-fabricated elastomeric pillars are used to position the macromolecules in a defined wall distance and to measure the deformation forces of the polymers via the pillar bending. The interaction of the micro-pillars and the anchored polymers with the flow is studied in detail using Particle-Image Velocimetry measurements at microscale (micro-PIV) and timelapse microscopy. The experimental study allows a detailed analysis how the flow field deforms the tethered polymers and how the flow field is modified by the presence of the polymers, both issues of which are theoretically studied by Prof. Zimmermann, one of the cooperating partners. In addition, the detailed knowledge of the flow field is important to understand shear induced transport and biochemical reactions investigated with a similar device by the group of Prof. Spatz. They use the micropillar surface as a force measurement device for the study of biochemical reactions on networks of biomolecules.