Start
Jun 03, 2011 - 16:00
End
Jun 03, 2011 - 17:00
Venue
Creativity Hall Room 118 Chemical Eng Department.
Event Type
Speaker
Dr. Ethayaraja Mani Van’t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences University of Amsterdam The Netherlands.
Title
Modeling of Self-assembling Colloids
Abstract: Self-assembly is a process in which interacting monomers autonomously organize themselves into one or many ordered structures. Although it occurs at all length scales self-assembly of colloids is particularly interesting because the interactions between colloids can be quite easily tuned to direct self-assembly into desired target structures. Despite a myriad of experiments have been reported several aspects such as mechanism kinetics and thermodynamic stability of the self-assembled structures are not understood adequately. We use analytical and stochastic modeling approaches and computer simulations to address some of these aspects. In this talk I will discuss the molecular origin of self-assembly of two different kinds of patchy colloids: polyoxometalates (a kind of inorganic macromolecule) and apoferritin (a type of protein molecule). I will also discuss the stability of hollow shells formed by nanoparticles that interact via competing interactions and a theoretical framework to explain how the shell size is varied using certain experimental parameters. Finally I will discuss the mechanism and kinetics of self-assembly of nanoparticles into nanorods and the formation of nanoparticles inside reverse micelles using timescale analysis and population balance equations.Biography: Ethayaraja Mani obtained his B.Tech degree in chemical engineering from Coimbatore Institute of Technology in 2003. Subsequently he moved to IIT-Kanpur to pursue PhD in chemical engineering in the group of Prof. Rajdip Bandyopadhyaya. After 4 years of stay at Kanpur he transferred his PhD program to IIT-Bombay and obtained his PhD degree in 2009. From August - 2008 to August - 2010 he spent 2 years in Utrecht University as a postdoctoral researcher in the group of Prof. Willem Kegel. Currently he is doing his 2nd postdoc in the University of Amsterdam in the group of Prof. Peter G. Bolhuis.