Tailoring Interfaces for New Materials

interfcases collage — From left to right: In-situ AFM imaging of microgels at fluid interfaces. Rolling of rough particles on surfaces. Digital holographic microscopy image of a particle deforming a fluid interface. Local refractive index mapping of a melting liquid crystal. Surface engineering of photocatalytic microparticles via emulsion templates.

Surfaces and interfaces have great significance in our everyday lives, impacting how we interact with the world around us. We delve into the intricacies of surfaces and interfaces for both fundamental exploration as well as their application in groundbreaking technologies. Specifically, we are interested in their interactions with micro-objects and how they influence each other. Combining our expertise in various fields, we are developing systems from the ground up. Starting from particle synthesis and surface engineering advanced experimental techniques and image analysis, we are at the forefront of this field. From soft microgels that are deformed at liquid-liquid interfaces to rigid particles that locally shape the interface they are embedded in, we are studying the dynamic response of these particles. Additionally, we are studying the behavior of the particles themselves and how they interact with each other as they come into contact. Here, the surface morphology and chemistry have a huge impact on the interparticle forces as well as their relative motion as they move past each other. We can also observe phase changes within a material, such as the melting of a liquid crystal, by studying the evolution in refractive index locally.