Projects

Non-equilibrium systems, such as active suspensions or externally-driven particles, show phenomenology which goes far beyond equilibrium physic. Importantly, dynamical properties such as friction and memory do not only affect liquid transport in non-equilibrium systems but can also influence the emerging structural properties of liquids. I am interested, in how complex dynamical properties, such as viscoelasticity, affects collective motion of active particles, but also more abstract concepts known from equilibrium physics, including fluctuation-dissipation theorems.

Specific topics and collaborators

• Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorems in Non-Equilibrium: Friederike Schmid
• Reconstructing Memory Kernels: Friederike Schmid, Martin Hanke-Bourgeois
• Active Particles in Viscoelastic Media: Ryoichi Yamamoto

Over the past two decades, active matter has emerged as a new central field within soft matter and statistical physics. A defining characteristic of active matter is its capacity to harness energy from its environment to facilitate self-propulsion. Despite these non-equilibrium forces, usual active matter remains inherently “dead”, lacking the capability to learn and process information and adapt to its environment beyond predetermined policies. In this project, based on kinetic theory, we introduce a novel statistical physics perspective on smart matter, which possesses the ability to dynamically adjust its policy.

Specific topics and collaborators

• Kinetic Theory: Misaki Ozawa, Eric Bertin
• Robotic Experiments: Olivier Dauchot

The transition from a liquid to a glass is characterized by a drastic slow-down of structural relaxation and transport, while the structure remains amorphous and seemingly unchanged. In this project we investigate connections between structural properties of supercooled liquids and their emerging dynamics using computer simulations, machine learning and mode-coupling theory.

Specific topics and collaborators

• Machine-Learning Glasses: Ludovic Berthier, Giulio Biroli
• Mode-Coupling Theory for Confined Glasses: Thomas Franosch

Liquids in confinement behave very different from their bulk counterparts. A well known phenomenon is for example the wetting at the boundaries, which leads to non-homogeneous densities and layering, but also dynamical properties are strongly affected by confinement. We study structural properties of liquids in extreme confinement by fundamental-measure theory and simulations. We also investigate confined glasses and confinement-induced crystallization by theory, simulations and experiments.

Specific topics and collaborators

• Mode-Coupling Theory for Confined Glasses and Liquids in Extreme Confinement: Thomas Franosch
• Confinement-Induced Crystallization: Charlotte Petersen
• Colloids in Confinement (Confocal Microscopy): Stefan Egelhaaf and Alejandro Villada-Balbuena
• Slip and Yielding in Confined Soft Glasses: Suzanne Fielding