NETWORK AREA 1 – Planning for 2006-2007

1. NETWORK AREA 1 – Planning for 2006-2007 Colloidal composites, gels and glasses Workpackages : W.P.1.1 Synthesis, Phase Behaviour, Structure and Optical Properties W.P.1.2. Dynamics and Rheology in Bulk W.P.1.3. Rheology, Structure and Dynamics near Walls and at Interfaces. softComp | soft matter composites

2. W.P.1.1 Synthesis, Phase Behaviour, Structure and Optical Properties General objective 1.1: Mixtures of colloids of various sizes and shapes, dispersed in complex fluids which for example may include polymers of different architectures. Tailor optical properties Experiments on well-defined model systems will be performed Compare to theoretical predictions and numerical simulations The goal is to cover the entire range of volume fractions, for example spanning from colloidal gels to glasses. The synthesis platform is of major importance for the success of this workpackage, as far as colloid and polymer synthesis is concerned. softComp | soft matter composites

3. W.P.1.2. Dynamics and Rheology in Bulk General objective 1.2: Diffusion of spherical and non-spherical particles in their complex surroundings Heterogeneity in space and time. Adapted methods and approaches will be used to study dense gels and glasses. Moreover, simulation packages and theoretical descriptions will be developed to rationalize the dynamics. Rheology – thixotropy - non-Newtonian media Flow-instabilities, such as shear banded flows, will also be addressed as they seem to be an inherent feature of complex fluids. The experimental and theoretical platforms are of major importance for the success of this workpackage. softComp | soft matter composites

4. W.P. 1.3 Rheology, Structure and Dynamics near Walls and at Interfaces. General objective 1.3: Confining particles near walls may give rise to pre-transitional phenomena (like wetting and pre-freezing) or phenomena of adhesion. This is of interest for any industrial application where thin films are processed or when particles flow in thin capillaries (e.g in porous rocks). Particles have also a tendency to become trapped at liquid-air and liquid-liquid interfaces in multiphase systems. Planar interfaces will be used to study the dynamics and interfacial rheology. Modification by particles of interfaces in bulk systems will be studied by a combination of microscopic and scattering techniques. The experimental and theoretical platforms are of major importance for the success of this workpackage. softComp | soft matter composites

5. Colloidal composites, gels and glasses W.P.1.1 Synthesis, Phase Behaviour, Structure and Optical properties • Spherical particles based composites: • Phase behaviour of spherical colloid+polymers (stars and micelles), binary mixtures, surfactant micelles, protein, polyectolytes and core-shell partices, special focus on the optical properties and effects of pressure on phase behaviour of such systems. (FZJ-Dhont, FZJ-Richter, U Poznan, U Düsseldorf, Vigo, Riso, FORTH, CNRS Bonn, UUtrecht Van Blaaderen) • Non-spherical colloids • Structure formation in rod-like colloids and mixtures, and their optical properties (U Vigo, U Düsseldorf, UUtrecht-Lekerkerker, Mainz, FZJ-Dhont, Poznan, UUtrecht- VBL, Leuven, U Dusseldorf) • Novel model (nano)particles systems (all shapes) • nanoparticles in block copolymers (CNRS-Bordeaux, CNRS-Mtp, U Vigo) • Model nanoparticle systems (rods - FZ-Julich, nanometals - U Vigo, UUtrecht, nanoslabs and nanoclays – FORTH, KU Leuven, UUtrecht-LK) • Fluoresent particles for confocal microscopy (UUtrecht-VBL) softComp | soft matter composites

6. Colloidal composites, gels and glasses W.P.1.2. Dynamics and Rheology in Bulk A. Spontaneous dynamics • Spherical particle based composites • Testing quantum dots as probe molecules for FCS and confocal microscopy (FZ-Julich, Poznan, U Vigo) • Role of electrostatic and hydrodynamic interactions for the structure and dynamics of multicomponent systems – comparison of experiment, theory and simulations. FZJ-Dhont, U Poznan)) • Slow dynamics and ageing (attractive and repulsive glasses and gels, foams, emulsions and tunable colloids (CNRS-Mtp, CNRS-Bonn, FORTH, UEDIN, Poznan) • Non-spherical particles • Diffusion of Rods and Spheres in Isotropic and Nematic Solutions of Rod-like Colloids (FZJ Gommper) • Dynamics of lath-likeand rod-like colloids (UUtrecht – LK, UDusseldorf, FZJ-Dhont) softComp | soft matter composites

7. Colloidal composites, gels and glasses W.P.1.2. Dynamics and Rheology in Bulk B. External fields and rheology • Structure and Deformation of (hairy) colloids in shear flow + electric fields (FZJ-Dhont, FZJ-Gompper, Mainz, UUtrecht-Vbl) • Spheres in viscoelastic fluids and adhesion properties (KU Leuven, Unilever, FZJ-Gompper, CNRS-Bord, FORTH) • Microrheology in dense systems (UEDIN, CNRS-Bonn) • Instabilities: shear banding (effects of electric fields) and slip (FZ-J-Dhont, U Twente, Leeds, CNRS-Bordeaux, FORTH) • Yielding and thixotropy of selected model systems (FORTH, Leuven, CNRS-Bonn) • Sedimentation (CNRS-Mtp) • Effects of particle shape on rheology of gels, non spherical colloids and mixtures – rheology and orientation in shear flow (FZJ-Gommper, UUtrecht-LK, KU Leuven, Schlumberger) softComp | soft matter composites

8. Colloidal composites, gels and glasses W.P.1.3. Rheology, structure and dynamics near walls and at interfaces. • Dynamics of particles near walls and deposition of particles at walls (FZJulich, U Vigo, U Utrecht-Vbl, FORTH, Schlumberger, Uedin, KU Leuven, CNRS-Bord) • Fluctuations of interfaces in phase separated mixtures (Mainz, CNRS- Bonn) • particles at interfaces and particles at grain boundaries (KU Leuven, FZJ-Dhont, UEDIN, Mainz, CNRS Bordeaux, CNRS-Mtp) softComp | soft matter composites

9. Colloidal composites, gels and glasses • Long Term Objectives: • Tailored model systems with respect to phase behaviour (draws on synthesis platform) • Understanding and controlling the dynamics and rheology (draws on experimental and theory platform) • Behaviour near walls and at interfaces (draws on experimental and theory platform) Potential significance: systems ; shape effects ; combination of tools ; 2D-3D softComp | soft matter composites

10. Colloidal composites, gels and glasses • Specific objectives within the long term objectives • Tailored model systems with respect to phase behaviour. • Nanoparticles with designed optical properties • Tunable colloids of spherical and nonspherical shapes (-> NA4) • Formulations and phase behaviour here of in various suspending media (->NA4) • Prediction of phase behavior from theory and simulations • Understanding and controlling the dynamics and rheology • Link between colloidal gel-like systems and glasses (-> NA4) • Experiments and predictive tools for complex colloidal systems with respect to structure, dynamics and rheology • Mechanistic insight in shear banding instabilities (-> NA2) • Experimental platform for slow and heterogeneous dynamics at rest and during flow (multispeckle dynamic light scattering, laser echo rheology, microrheology) • Behaviour near walls and at interfaces (-> NA3) • World class facilities to study structure and dynamics near walls and at interfaces (3D evanescent wave scattering, interfacial rheology, XPCS-nanorheology). • Novel materials or design strategies based on particle laden interfaces. softComp | soft matter composites

11. CROSS Border activities • Confinements : Membranes, Interfaces and walls (FZJ-Dhont, U Düsseldorf, K.U. Leuven, FORTH, UEDIN, Mainz, Schlumberger, CNRS Bordeaux, CNRS – Paris, CNRS – Mtp) link to NA4, NA3, NA2. • Verify applicability of techniques from NA1 to samples of NA3? • Nanocomposites – particles in VE media (blends) • Applying concept from colloid science to nanocomposites? (K.U.Leuven, U Vigo, CNRS-Bord, CNRS-Mtp, FORTH) • Shear banding • Is shear banding universal (rods vs micelles) ? Do polymers shear band? (U Twente, CNRS-Bord, CNRS-Paris, FZJ-Dhont) • Self assembling systems showing slow dynamics (“we all do self-assembly”) • Dynamics in cells? (U Poznan) softComp | soft matter composites