Dinsmore Research Group
UMass-Amherst
UMass

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We study the statistical mechanics of "soft condensed matter:" colloids, vesicles, emulsions, nanoparticle suspensions and other squishy things. Our experiments probe the relationships among inter-particle forces, structure, and dynamics of many-bodied systems -- relationships that are central to research in condensed-matter physics.

We also apply this fundamental understanding to develop materials at the nanometer scale. Self-assembled materials have truly unique mechanical, optical and electronic properties with applications in nanotechnology and biomedical engineering.

Click on images for details. Publications can be downloaded.

Here is the schedule for the UMass Soft Matter Journal Club.

Who we are:
  • Tony Dinsmore, PI
    (Publications and cv).
  • Dr. Simona Maccarrone (postdoc)
  • Ben Bromberg
  • Kan Du
  • Jaime Hutchison
  • Liquan Pei
  • Hao Wang
  • Chuan Zeng
    [group photo 2008, except for Liquan]
Group Alumni: Hugo Bissig; Versa Clark (M.S.'05); Kapil Easwar, Kazem Edmond (B.S.'04; Emory Univ. Physics); Susan Gibilisco, Matt Gratale (B.S. 08; UPenn Physics) ; Christian Guertin (M.S.'03;Vermont Photonics); Chris Knutson (M.S.'04; Arryx); Rui Kong (M.S.'05; Suez Energy); David Lawrence (B.S.'06; NYU Law Schl); Randy Leiter; Nate Lindzen (B.S. in Chemistry '07); Yutaka Maki (B.S.'05; SUNY Coll. Optometry); Ryan McGorty (B.S.'05; Harvard Physics); Jessica Meese (Carnegie-Mellon); Melissa Motew (B.S.'02; Lincoln Lab). Debo Olaosebikan (Illinois Wesleyan U.);Xiaotao Peng (Ph.D. '07; Alliance Fiber Optics Products); Tim Prisk (B.S.'07; Indiana U.);Ellie Radue; John Savage (Ph.D. '07; Cornell); Jing Zhou (Ph.D. '07, Xerox)

Prof. Dinsmore's Teaching:

  • Fall 2009: Physics 152. (We use Mastering Physics for this course. There is also a SPARK web page.
  • Past semesters:

    Contact:

    We gratefully acknowledge support from the following organizations:
    National Science Foundation.
    ACS Petroleum Research Fund
    Department of Energy

    Kraft Foods, Inc.
    Xerox Corporation University Affairs Cmtee.


    National Aeronautics & Space Administration.

    • Random Solids - gels and granular media:
    Forces, topology, and elasticity; imaging droplets.
    [3D droplet pile] [3D colloidal gel] [Image of droplet resting on glass]

    Melting & Freezing of Colloidal Crystals:
    Dynamics probed with single-particle resolution.
    See Daan Frenkel's "Perspective" in Science 314, 768 (2006).
    [colloidal crystal] [psi6 order vs. size]

    Assembly of Solid Particles at Liquid Interfaces:
    Energy and interactions; membranes; electronics with metal droplets.
    See Vanmaekelbergh's 'News and Views' review of our work in Nature Nano, Aug '09.
    [self-assembled device] [encapsulation] [nanoparticle membrane]

    Lipid bilayer vesicles:
    Phase transitions, budding, and the role of membrane proteins. [vesicle with phase-separated domains] [vesicle with phase-separated domains]

    Granular Media:
    Electrostatic charge, contact forces, structure and stress.
    [Charged sandpile]

    Colloids and Optics:
    Scattering and diffusion of light in randomly packed films.
    [photonic cartoon] [opaque random media]

    Cylindrical Fluid Structures: hydrodynamic
    focusing of viscoelastic fluids.
    [Fluid cylinder] [Hollow elastic cylinder]

    Hydrodynamics of Spherical Viscous Membranes:
    flow field around a rod moving on a sphere.
    [flow field on viscous membrane] [flow field on viscous membrane]

    Former Projects: Entropic forces near rigid
    and flexible surfaces:
    [vesicles and particles] [entropic force fields]

    Doped semiconductor nanoparticles:
    [light emission]

    Copyright 2009 University of Massachusetts Amherst. Site Policies.
    This site is maintained by A. Dinsmore (dinsmore_at_physics.umass.edu).