Particle collisions, aggregation & resuspension

行星和彗星的形成，云中的雨或雪的沉淀，哮喘病吸入器中颗粒的絮凝，包裹在植物中的零食或药物的堵塞，富含碳的沉积物从大陆到深海的浑浊流运输，所有这些都严重依赖于颗粒特性的微小细节和调节它们的流体。粒子的形状、表面光洁度以及周围流体的湍流和结构决定了粒子碰撞的结果，而碰撞的结果又决定了行星的生长、暴雨的形成、过程植物的堵塞或浊流的沉积。该奖学金通过创新诊断技术，在利用这些新技术的突破性实验中捕获精确数据，探索颗粒和流体特性与碰撞结果之间的关系。该计划遵循两个互补的思路，即研究粒子碰撞本身以及周围流体在调解和/或促进这些碰撞中的作用。这些线索被收集在一起，用来验证描述碰撞位置、频率和结果的聚集模型，从而决定了整个流动中颗粒大小和分布的演变。第一个线程利用冰的独特属性来创建高度定制的二元碰撞，以鉴定影响碰撞能量学的粒子属性，从而导致聚集或反弹。第二个线程使用新的水凝胶球技术，试图进行亚颗粒尺度的湍流测量，可以开始解释颗粒对其所携带的流体的巨大协同影响。通过这一研究计划，PI的目标是在理解流体介导的粒子碰撞方面提供重要的、基本的和持久的发展。该项目将提升她在该领域不断增长的全球声誉和业绩记录，并吸引高质量的研究生和博士后研究人员组成一个致力于流体和粒子动力学研究前沿的专门小组。目前的国际合作将得到加强和利用，以最大限度地提高研究的效益，并将促进与学术界和实践者的新联系。该奖学金还将利用世界一流的设施——超导磁体和低温原子力显微镜——以及诺丁汉大学的专业知识，帮助为未来的实验粒子技术研究创造一个焦点。

The formation of planets and comets, the precipitation of rain or snow from a cloud, the flocculation of particles from an asthma inhaler, the jamming of snacks or pharmaceuticals as they are coated in a plant, the transport by turbidity currents of carbon rich sediments from the continents into the deep ocean all critically depend on the minute details of particle properties and the fluid that mediates them. Particle shape, surface finish and turbulence and structure in the surrounding fluid govern the outcome of the particle collisions that in turn determine whether a planet grows, a rain storm forms, a process plant jams, or a turbidity current deposits its sediment. This Fellowship explores this relationship between particle and fluid properties and collision outcome, by innovating diagnostic technology to allow precision data to be captured in ground-breaking experiments that utilise these new techniques.This proposed programme follows two complementary threads that examine the particle collisions themselves and the role of the surrounding fluid in mediating and/or promoting those collisions. These threads are bought together to verify aggregation models describing the location, frequency and outcome of collisions, dictating the evolution of particle size and distribution throughout a flow. The first thread exploits the unique properties of ice to create highly bespoke binary collisions to forensically identify the particle properties that influence the energetics of a collision leading to aggregation or rebound. The second thread uses new hydrogel bead technology to attempt to make sub-particle scale turbulence measurements that can start to explain the dramatic synergistic influence particles have on the fluid they are carried in. Through this research programme the PI aims to deliver significant, fundamental and lasting developments in the understanding of fluid mediated particle collisions. The PI will enhance her growing, global reputation and track-record in this field and attract high-quality graduate students and post-doctoral researchers to form a dedicated group at the forefront of fluid and particle dynamics research. Current international collaborations will be strengthened and exploited to maximise the benefit of the research, and new links with academics and practitioners will be fostered. The Fellowship will also exploit the world-class facilities - the superconducting magnet and the cryogenic atomic force microscope - and expertise at the University of Nottingham helping to create a focal point for future experimental particle technology studies.