Adaptive colloidal suspensions programmed via external fields

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Stefan U. Egelhaaf (†); Professor Dr. Hartmut Löwen
• Subject Area: Statistical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems, Soft and Fluid Matter, Biological Physics
• Term: from 2015 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 279792221

Colloidal dispersions in external fields have been an active research topic during the last decade. Here we propose the idea to expose a colloidal suspension to an external field that is coupled to the particle configuration by some function or programme. Thus, via the external field, the colloidal suspension reacts to its own configuration; the Suspension becomes adaptive. Using the complementary approaches of experiment, theory and computer simulation, we test this concept and explore the properties of such adaptive colloids. We aim for a fundamental and particle-resolved understanding of this new type of nonequilibrium matter, but also expect that a wealth of new colloidal material properties become accessible by external programming.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants