The MIMIC team develops research at the interface between physics, chemistry and biology. The team focuses on physical interfaces as well (drops, bubbles, surfaces, membranes). Our approach combines experiments (fast imaging, microscopies, microfluidics…), theory (fluid dynamics, theoretical chemistry, applied math) and of numerical simulations (finite differences, pseudospectral methods, molecular dynamics…). Our research is genuinely interdisciplinary and part of our work is conducted in close collaboration with biologists. Our interests range from: i) Fluids and microfluidics, wetting and drops, cavitation bubbles dynamics and biomimetics. ii) Biophysics of fast motion and collective motion in plants and fungi, bacterial biofilms and fungal growth, collective behavior of swimming zoospores, physics of olfaction, intracellular pH regulation. iii) Granular and particular materials.
Nonlinear physics, complex fluids, and biophysics
Complex fluids
- Description
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Our centers of interest focus on the surface and interface dynamics in hydrodynamics, in soft matter and in crystal growth. Our studies are based upon both experimental and theoretical investigations. The understanding of the fundamental mechanisms governing interfacial dynamics corresponds to important stakes in the modelling of natural phenomenon as well as in industrial applications. Our activities mainly concern:
The propagation of nonlinear waves:
i) At the free surfaces of liquids: experimental evidences for new types of large amplitude solitary waves.
ii) In grain piles or in solid cellular materials, direct visualization of the sound waves propagation by means of the induced birefringency.
iii) In soap foams, by direct visualization or by X-ray microtomography of the flow in the liquid films or micro-channels.
Dynamics of capillary objects (jets, drops and films):
i) Local study of the drainage in soap films in various configurations: impact of a liquid jet or film rotation.
ii) Dynamics of droplets, jets and elastic solids.
iii) Leidenfrost effect of droplets submitted to thermal or magnetic forcing.
iv) Condensation phenomenon and dew recovering in dry countries: covering and process optimisation (use of super-hydrophobic or absorbent surfaces).
v) Rearrangement of the bubbles in a flowing foam; use of fast X-ray microtomography.
Dynamics of growth patterns:
i) Modelling of quantum dots via hetero-epitaxy in semi-conductors.
ii) Morphogenesis in basalt columns. - Team members
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Argentina Médéric
Brouzet Christophe
Calvet Gaspard
Célestini Franck
Fraysse Nathalie
Le Clezio Jeanne
Medici Marie-Gabrielle
Ongari Klint
Paulovics David
Raufaste Christophe – group leader
Rojas Nicolas
Soni Bharat
Sun Defa
Vigna-Brummer Alexandre
Magnetorheology and nanomaterials
- Description
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New materials with specific properties are designed by assembling nano- or microparticles that are functionalized to improve their dispersion in a suspending medium and to impart them specific properties required for different applications. For example, magnetic nano- and microparticles are dispersed in a liquid in order to form a magnetorheological fluid whose viscosity can be strongly increased by application of a magnetic field. We also develop new applications of magnetic particles such as their functionalization for pollutant or biomolecule capture on their surface. Control over nanoparticle aggregation and over nanoparticle architecture is also an important aspect of our research dealing with reinforcement of mechanical properties of several composites.
- Team members
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Alves Marins Jessica
Blanc Baptiste
Bossis Georges
Boulant Lou
Ciffréo Alain
Godeau Guilhem
Humbert Claire
Hurel Charlotte
Kuzhir Pavel – group leader
Lagouarde Julie
Le Thi Phung
Lei Jiajun
Mei Zhenying
Queiros Campos Jordy
Raboisson-Michel Maxime
Savchenko Mariia
Tian Hongru
Microfluidics, physical-chemistry and biology at interfaces
- Description
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- Team members
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Bouret Yann
Cohen Céline
Gauci François-Xavier
Jami Ludovic
Keiser Ludovic
Noblin Xavier – group leader
Thomen Philippe - More info
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See the website
Out of equilibrium and nonlinear physics
- Description
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Nonlinear physics is a discipline that takes its roots from the work of Henri Poincaré in the 19th century. It has been developed in the 1960s through the observation, the development of dynamical systems theory and numerical experimentation. It is a multidisciplinary science that has many fields of application. A common denominator in these fields is the use of concepts of instability, bifurcations, excitability, chaos and the emergence of complex dissipative structures. Our research team is currently developing the following research topics: Biophysics, Optical-non-linear, hydrodynamic and Crystal growth.
- Team members
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Bec Jérémie
Chétrite Raphaël
Frisch Thomas
Gil Lionel
Kolluru Kiran
Nazarenko Sergey – group leader
Sepulchre Jacques-Alexandre
Simonnet Eric
Thalabard Simon
Tissoni Giovanna
Zhu Ying
Concentrated suspensions rheology
- Description
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Creeping flows of non-Brownian suspensions are ubiquitous in Industry or in nature. Even when the suspending fluid is Newtonian, these suspensions exhibit a complex rheology especially when the solid fraction is large (shear-thinning, shear-thickening, normal stress differences, shear-induced migration…). We aim to identify and to understand the mechanisms involved at the particle scale that are responsible for these complex behaviours. To this purpose, we use cross-linked numerical and experimental approaches. We develop continuous flow computation based on Finite Volume Method as well as discrete simulations based on Force Coupling Method. Experimental studies are carried out using conventional or non conventional rheometry (suspension imaging, particle stress measurement). At last we are interested in applications (fresh concrete and propergol rheology, sediment transport).
- Team members
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Blanc Frédéric
Lemaire Elisabeth – group leader
Lo Serigne-Touba
Lobry Laurent
Peters François
Varshney Atul
Vazquez Perez Francisco Jesus