Microfluids
Porous flows
We mundanely observe cellulose (kitchen) sponges swell while absorbing water. Fluid flows in deformable porous media, such as soils and hydrogels, are classically described on the basis of the theories of Darcy and poroelasticity, where the expansion of media arises due to increased pore pressure. However, the situation is qualitatively different in cellulosic porous materials like sponges because the pore expansion is driven by wetting of the surrounding cellulose walls rather than by increase of the internal pore pressure. We address a seemingly so simple but hitherto unanswered question of how fast water wicks into the swelling sponge
Microfluidics
Microfluidics is the study of the behavior, precise control, and manipulation of fluids that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. These small volumes of fluids can be manipulated using microfluidic devices, which are often fabricated using microfabrication techniques. Microfluidic devices have many potential applications, including drug delivery, chemical synthesis, and the analysis of biological samples.
Interfacial physics
We study the physical properties and behavior of interfaces between different materials or phases, such as liquids, solids, and gases. We mainly focus on understanding the fundamental physics of these interfaces, and how they can be controlled and manipulated to create new materials and devices.
Park, et al. Soft Matter, 2021