Colloidal Gelation and Rheology

We analyze the relationship between structure, dynamics and mechanical properties of complex fluids such as colloidal gels, associating polymers, wormlike micelles and thixotropic fluids.  In collaboration with Prof. Ron Larson, we probe the viscoelasticity of these materials both experimentally and with theoretical models.  We study the microstructure of colloidal gels of anisotropic building blocks and correlate such features to their macroscopic viscoelastic properties.  In addition to gels, our lab is also studying thixotropic response of thermoreversible materials and the quiescent properties of associating polysaccharides.  

Related Publications:

  1. Kao, P.K., Solomon, M. J. & Ganesan, M., “Microstructure and elasticity of dilute gels of colloidal discoids”, Soft Matter 18, 1350–1363 (2022).
  2. Rocklin, D.Z., Hsiao, L., Szakasits, M., Solomon, M.J. and Mao, X., “Elasticity of colloidal gels: structural heterogeneity, floppy modes, and rigidity” Soft Matter 17, 6929-6934 (2021).
  3. Saud, K.T., Ganesan, M. and Solomon, M.J., “Yield stress behavior of colloidal gels with embedded active particles”, Journal of Rheology, 65, 225 – 239 (2021).
  4. Wei, Y., M.J. Solomon, and R.G. Larson, “Letter to the Editor: Modeling the nonmonotonic time-dependence of viscosity bifurcation in thixotropic yield-stress fluids,” Journal of Rheology 63(4) 673-674 (2019). 
  5. Whitaker, K., Z. Varga, L.C. Hsiao, M.J. Solomon, J.W. Swan, and E.M. Furst, “Colloidal gel elasticity arises from the packing of locally glassy clusters,” Nature Communications (2019). 
  6. Adams, A.A., M.J. Solomon and R.G. Larson, “Nonlinear kinetic-rheology model for reversible scission and deformation of wormlike micelles,” Journal of Rheology, 62(6) 1419-1427 (2018).
  7. Wei, Y., M.J. Solomon, and R.G. Larson, “A Multi-Mode Structural Kinetics Constitutive Equation for the Transient Rheology of Thixotropic Elasto-viscoplastic Fluids,” Journal of Rheology 62 (2018).
  8. Hsiao, L.C., I. Saha-Dalal, R.G. Larson, Solomon, M.J., “Translational and rotational dynamics in dense suspensions of smooth and rough colloids,” Soft Matter 13(48) 9229-9236 (2017).
  9. Hsiao, L. C., Jamali, S., Glynos, E., Green, P. F., Larson, R. G., and Solomon, M. J. “Rheological State Diagrams for Rough Colloids in Shear Flow,” Physical Review Letters 119, no. 15 (2017): 158001.
  10. Hsiao, L.C., Newman, R.S., Glotzer, S.C. and Solomon, M.J., “Role of isostaticity and load-bearing microstructure in the elasticity of yielded colloidal gels,” PNAS, 2012, 109 (40), 16029-16034.

Contact Current Graduate Student:

  • Keara Saud