Soft Interfaces

Coordinators: C. Monteux et E. Verneuil
Members : B. Bresson, A. Chateauminois, J. Comtet,C. Creton, J.-B. d’Espinose, L. Jørgensen, A. Kovalenko, F. Lequeux, T. Merland, A. Salonen, N. Sanson

In soft matter systems, surface interactions at molecular scale control adhesion, adsorption, friction or slip at a larger scale, which in turn set the mechanical and transport properties of the whole system. In this project, the SIMM lab aims at describing and tuning the molecular-scale interactions at synthetic and biological interfaces under external forcing, and ultimately relating it to the macroscopic response, both at extended interfaces and within dispersed systems.
Our strategy relies on (i) the development of new dedicated experimental instruments specially designed to probe the interactions at the molecular scale in relation to the macroscopic behavior, (ii) the development of well controlled synthetic colloids and hydrogels for which we can control surface interactions and reactivity, and (iii) the extension of our approach to biosourced and living colloids which external surface includes biopolymers whose interactions control the suspensions dynamics and stability.

• Living colloïds, natural & biomimetic
• Interfacial solidification
• Polymers at interfaces with liquids
• Dissipative mechanisms at frictional interfaces
• Foams & Emulsions : interfaces and transport