Our department has earlier contributed richly to the understanding of bubble and drop formation at orifices, foam bed contactors/reactors, physical demulsification, and breakup and coalescence of drops in agitated dispersions. Researchers are currently engaged in investigating phenomena involving colloids and interfaces at the nanoscale.
Drop breakup of industrially important but rheologically complex liquids in surrounding phases of similar complexity at high temperatures in currently practiced processes is the new focus of an industry collaboration in the Gupta laboratory. Synthesis of nanoparticles, nanowires, and nanorods, and formation of arrays and superlattices of nanoparticles in Venugopal laboratory for a variety of applications are controlled by manipulation of colloidal interactions and nucleation of a new phase. The formation of monolayers and bilayers and modulation of their properties for lubrication and oral care applications through sub-nanoscale chemical substitutions is another focus area in the department.
