Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

Flowing Complex Fluids Research Group

Prof. Michael Graham

Animation of an "exact coherent state", a three-dimensional, traveling-wave
solution to the Navier-Stokes equation in pressure-driven channel flow.
Our group uses these solutions to study how polymer additives affect turbulent
flows (e.g. Stone, P. A. et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 89, 208301 (2002)).

Animation of a single polymer chain in simple shear flow near a single
wall. Our group is currently investigating the mechanisms responsible
for the migration of the chain away from the wall.
(see e.g. Jendrejack, R. M. et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 91, 038102 (2003)).

The primary focus of the research in our group is the dynamical behavior of flowing complex fluids -- materials whose microstructure interacts in a nontrivial way with how it is deformed by flow. These fluids, examples of which include polymer and surfactant solutions, are important because of both their intrinsically interesting behavior and their widespread technological importance. An important fundamental feature of complex fluids is that, in flow, these materials display instabilities and nonlinear dynamics that are quite different from what is observed in simple fluids. For example, the structure of turbulent flow is dramatically changed by the presence of small amounts of high-molecular weight polymer, as is the stability of coating processes. Our research aims for mechanistic understanding of these phenomena, as well as strategies for their control and exploitation. In related work, we are studying the dynamics of complex fluids in microfluidic devices. Examples of our work along these lines include the development of methods for simulating the dynamics of DNA in microchannels and for predicting transport in microprocess systems driven by "tunable" surfactants developed in Nick Abbott's group.

The Flowing Complex Fluids Research Group gratefully acknowledges generous support from: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation (NSF), 3M Corporation, American Chemical Society (ACS) - PRF.

		UW-Madison · Engineering
		Chem & Biol Engr · FCF

FCF Home Research Instabilities and nonlinear dynamics of polymeric fluid flows Flow and transport fundamentals for complex fluids Members Publications Collaborators Group Meetings Links		Flowing Complex Fluids Research Group Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Flowing Complex Fluids Research Group Prof. Michael Graham Animation of an "exact coherent state", a three-dimensional, traveling-wave solution to the Navier-Stokes equation in pressure-driven channel flow. Our group uses these solutions to study how polymer additives affect turbulent flows (e.g. Stone, P. A. et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 89, 208301 (2002)). Animation of a single polymer chain in simple shear flow near a single wall. Our group is currently investigating the mechanisms responsible for the migration of the chain away from the wall. (see e.g. Jendrejack, R. M. et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 91, 038102 (2003)). The primary focus of the research in our group is the dynamical behavior of flowing complex fluids -- materials whose microstructure interacts in a nontrivial way with how it is deformed by flow. These fluids, examples of which include polymer and surfactant solutions, are important because of both their intrinsically interesting behavior and their widespread technological importance. An important fundamental feature of complex fluids is that, in flow, these materials display instabilities and nonlinear dynamics that are quite different from what is observed in simple fluids. For example, the structure of turbulent flow is dramatically changed by the presence of small amounts of high-molecular weight polymer, as is the stability of coating processes. Our research aims for mechanistic understanding of these phenomena, as well as strategies for their control and exploitation. In related work, we are studying the dynamics of complex fluids in microfluidic devices. Examples of our work along these lines include the development of methods for simulating the dynamics of DNA in microchannels and for predicting transport in microprocess systems driven by "tunable" surfactants developed in Nick Abbott's group. The Flowing Complex Fluids Research Group gratefully acknowledges generous support from: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation (NSF), 3M Corporation, American Chemical Society (ACS) - PRF.