We're focused on colloids that are anisotropic, away from equilibrium, or in crowded environments, all of which are relevant to coatings, the production of multiphase materials, and the understanding of synthetic and biological active colloids.
Research Information
Research Interests
Non-Equilibrium and Dense Suspensions of Anisotropic Colloids
Fluids containing nano- to micrometer scale “colloidal” particles are found universally in nature and technology. Coatings, consumer products, filters, cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, and numerous industrial chemical processes all incorporate colloids. Although these applications are mature, there is a significant number of important questions that remain for these and next generation technologies that utilize colloids.
Our lab is particularly focused on colloids that are anisotropic, away from equilibrium, or in crowded environments, all of which are relevant to coatings, the production of multiphase materials, and the understanding of synthetic and biological active colloids. Our lab develops fundamental understanding for the fabrication, processing, probing, and utilization of these materials for use in applications.
Our tools are primarily in the measurement, prediction, and interpretation of the dynamic behavior of colloidal particles in response to neighbors, nearby surfaces, physiochemical or hydrodynamic cures. Our focus has been on anisotropic (e.g. non-spherical, non-uniform surface chemistry) particles because of the technological relevance of such particles, including clay, yeast, red blood cells, and carbon nanoparticles. We often study these systems away from equilibrium, for instance in response to an external electric field. More recently, we moved towards non-equilibrium active colloidal system where motion is generated by the particle itself. We further extended this focus on non-equilibrium behavior in complex fluids to dynamic systems
Publications
- Yan, J., Rashidi, A., & Wirth, C. L. (2020). Single and Ensemble Response of Colloidal Ellipsoids to a Nearby AC Electrode. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 606 , 125384.
- Rashidi, A., Domínguez-Medina, S., Yan, J., Doicu, A., Vasilyeva, A., Efremenko, D., Wriedt, T., & Wirth, C. L. (2020). Developing Scattering Morphology Resolved Total Internal Reflection Microscopy (SMR-TIRM) for Orientation Detection of Colloidal Ellipsoids. Langmuir, 36 (43), 13041-13050.
- Rashidi, A., Razavi, S., & Wirth, C. L. (2020). Influence of Cap Weight On the Motion Of A Janus Particle Very Near A Wall. Physical Review E , 101 , 042606.
- Luo, Q., Wirth, C. L., & Pentzer, E. L. (2020). Efficient sizing of single layer graphene oxide with optical microscopy under ambient conditions. Carbon, 157 , 395--401.
- Rashidi, A., Razavi, S., & Wirth, C. L. (2019). Influence of cap weight on the motion of a Janus particle very near a wall. arXiv preprint arXiv:1903.09127 (accepted with minor revisions, PRE).
- Doicu, A., Vasilyeva, A., Efremenko, D., Wirth, C. L., & Wriedt, T. L. (2019). A light scattering model for total internal reflection microscopy of geometrically anisotropic particles. Journal of Modern Optics, 66 (10), 1139--1151.
- Kode, V., Thompson, M., McDonald, C., Weicherding, J., Dobrila, T., Fodor, P., Wirth, C. L., & Ao, G. L. (2019). Purification and Assembly of DNA-Stabilized Boron Nitride Nanotubes into Aligned Films. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2 (4), 2099--2105.
- Issa, M., Baumgartner, N., Kalil, M., Ryan, S., & Wirth, C. L. (2019). Charged Nanoparticles Quench the Propulsion of Active Janus Colloids. ACS omega, 4 (8), 13034--13041.
- Rashidi, A., Issa, M., Martin, I., Avishai, A., Razavi, S., & Wirth, C. L. (2018). Local Measurement of Janus Particle Cap Thickness. ACS applied materials \& interfaces, 10 (37), 30925--30929.
- Ivancic, W., & Wirth, C. L. (2018). Combined effect of oxidative treatment and residual alcohol on the mechanics of a multiwalled carbon nanotube laden interface. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 551 , 42--49.
- Rashidi, A., & Wirth, C. L. (2017). Motion of a Janus particle very near a wall. The Journal of chemical physics, 147 (22), 224906.
- Wirth, C. L., & Nuthalapati, S. L. (2016). Response of a doublet to a nearby dc electrode of uniform potential. Physical Review E, 94 (4), 042614.
- Wirth, C. L., De Volder, M. L., & Vermant, J. L. (2015). Fabrication of planar colloidal clusters with template-assisted interfacial assembly. Langmuir, 31 (5), 1632--1640.
- Gijsenbergh, P., Pepicelli, M., Wirth, C. L., Vermant, J. L., & Puers, R. L. (2015). Langmuir monolayer characterization via polymer microtensiometers. Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 229 , 110--117.
- Wirth, C. L., Furst, E. L., & Vermant, J. L. (2014). Weak electrolyte dependence in the repulsion of colloids at an oil--water interface. Langmuir, 30 (10), 2670--2675.
- Gijesenbergh, P., Pepicelli, M., Wirth, C. L., Vermant, J. L., & Puers, R. L. (2014). A polymer microdevice for tensiometry of insoluble components. Procedia Engineering, 87 , 80--83.
- Wirth, C. L., Sides, P. L., & Prieve, D. L. (2013). Electrolyte dependence of particle motion near an electrode during ac polarization. Physical Review E, 87 (3), 032302.
- Sides, P., Wirth, C. L., & Prieve, D. L. (2012). Mechanisms of Directed Assembly of Colloidal Particles in Two Dimensions by Application of Electric Fields. Electrophoretic Deposition of Nanomaterials.
- Wirth, C. L., Rock, R. L., Sides, P. L., & Prieve, D. L. (2011). Single and Pairwise Motion of Particles near an Ideally Polarizable Electrode. Langmuir.
- Wirth, C. L., Sides, P. L., & Prieve, D. L. (2011). The imaging ammeter. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science.
- Sides, P., Wirth, C. L., & Prieve, D. L. (2010). An imaging ammeter for electrochemical measurements. Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters, 13 , F10.
- Prieve, D., Sides, P., & Wirth, C. L. (2010). 2-D assembly of colloidal particles on a planar electrode. Current Opinion in Colloid \& Interface Science, 15 (3), 160--174.