ChE-677: Introduction to Polymer Physics and Rheology



Guidelines for Mini Project

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This course aims to introduce you to the phenomena and concepts to describe physical properties of polymers and polymer rheology. However, there are a host of other complex fluid systems that are encountered in Chemical Engineering and significant progress has been made in the understanding of the structure and rheology of these complex fluids. Through this mini-project, it is expected from each student to learn a perticular aspect of thermodynamics/dynamics of one such complex fluid, and share it with the class through a presentation at the end of the semester. One should also write a brief review of the topic studied. One can also choose any other topic of interest to him which comes within the purview of complex fluids, with the consent of the instructor.

Mini Project Topics

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A possible list of topics is given below (Please go through the PDF for list of references):

  • The rheology of dilute solutions of flexible polymers: recent progress and unsolved problems. [Taken by: Abhishek Singhal ]
  • Rheology of solid-liquid suspensions: spherical particles (both Brownian and non-Brownian). [Taken by: Nishanth Kumar ]
  • Rheology of suspensions: nonspherical particles (both Brownian and non-Brownian). [Taken by: Amit Kumar Mishra ]
  • Rheology of nematic liquid-crystalline polymers. [Taken by: ]
  • Thermodynamics of block-coplymers. [Taken by: ViveK Mani Tiwari ]
  • Rheology of block-coplymers. [Taken by: ]
  • Principles of Microbead rheometry. [Taken by: ]
  • Flow of granular materials: dense and slow flows. [Taken by: ]
  • Flow of granular materials: dilute and rapid flows. [Taken by: ]
  • Further modifications to the classical tube theory for rheology of entangled linear polymer systems.< [Taken by: V.SudarKodi ]
  • Structure and rheology of foams. [Taken by: ]
  • Structure and rheology of liquid-liquid emulsions and blends. [Taken by: Vikash Kothari]
  • Statics and dynamics of polyelectrolytes (charged polymers). [Taken by: Anand Mohan Mishra ]
  • Structure and dynamics of semidilute solutions of flexible polymers. [Taken by: ]
  • Mechanics of stiff polymers (e.g. DNA) and their behavior in flow fields (worm-like chain; Marko-Siggia models, Chu's experiments etc.). [Taken by: Samanvaya Srivastava ]
  • Rheology of entangled worm-like miceller solutions. [Taken by: Manu Tomar ]
  • Principles of Rheometry. [Taken by: ]
  • Study of Dispersed flows. [Taken by: ]
  • Rheology of Soft Materials. [Taken by: ]