CM-AMO Seminar | Colloids: Soft Condensed Matter’s Ising Model

Speaker: Itai Cohen (Cornell University)

Colloids are micron scale particles that are suspended in a fluid. The large size and relatively slow motions of the particles, make these suspensions convenient to image in 3D using confocal microscopy and manipulate at the single particle level using optical tweezers. These tools are revolutionizing our ability to link the microscopic structure of the suspension with the large scale macroscopic material properties. In this talk, he will discuss how we are using these systems to study a vast array of phenomena ranging from statistical mechanics problems including crystallization, defect motion in crystals, and glasses, to complex fluid flow problems including shear thickening, shear thinning, and shear banding.