Dinsmore Research Group
UMass-Amherst
UMass

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We study the statistical mechanics of "soft condensed matter:" colloids, vesicles, emulsions, nanoparticle suspensions and other squishy things. Our experiments probe the relationships among inter-particle forces, structure, and dynamics of many-bodied systems -- relationships that are central to research in condensed-matter physics.

We also apply this fundamental understanding to develop materials at the nanometer scale. Self-assembled materials have truly unique mechanical, optical and electronic properties with applications in nanotechnology and biomedical engineering.

Click on images for details. Publications can be downloaded.

Come to the Physics Department's Soft-Condensed Matter Journal Club.

Who we are:
  • Tony Dinsmore, PI
    (Publications and cv).
  • Ben Bromberg
  • Kan Du
  • Kapil Easwar
  • Susan Gibilisco
  • Jaime Hutchison
  • Liquan Pei
  • Hao Wang
  • Chuan Zeng
[group photo, except for Liquan]
Group Alumni: Hugo Bissig; Versa Clark (M.S.'05); Kazem Edmond (B.S.'04; Emory Univ. Physics); Matt Gratale (B.S. 08; UPenn Physics) ; Christian Guertin (M.S.'03;Vermont Photonics); Chris Knutson (M.S.'04; Arryx); Rui Kong (M.S.'05; Suez Energy); David Lawrence (B.S.'06; NYU Law Schl); Randy Leiter; Nate Lindzen (B.S. in Chemistry '07); Yutaka Maki (B.S.'05; SUNY Coll. Optometry); Ryan McGorty (B.S.'05; Harvard Physics); Jessica Meese (Carnegie-Mellon); Melissa Motew (B.S.'02; Lincoln Lab). Debo Olaosebikan (Illinois Wesleyan U.);Xiaotao Peng (Ph.D. '07; Alliance Fiber Optics Products); Tim Prisk (B.S.'07; Indiana U.);Ellie Radue; John Savage (Ph.D. '07; Cornell); Jing Zhou (Ph.D. '07, Xerox)

Prof. Dinsmore's Teaching:

  • Fall 2009: Physics 152.
  • Past semesters:

    Contact:

    We gratefully acknowledge support from the following organizations:
    National Science Foundation.
    ACS Petroleum Research Fund

    Kraft Foods, Inc.
    Xerox Corporation University Affairs Cmtee.


    National Aeronautics & Space Administration.

    • Random Solids - gels and granular media:
    Forces, topology, and elasticity; imaging droplets.
    [3D droplet pile] [3D colloidal gel] [Image of droplet resting on glass]

    Melting & Freezing of Colloidal Crystals:
    Dynamics probed with single-particle resolution.
    [colloidal crystal] [psi6 order vs. size]

    Assembly of Solid Particles at Liquid Interfaces:
    Energy and interactions; membranes; electronics with metal droplets. [self-assembled device] [encapsulation] [nanoparticle membrane]

    Lipid bilayer vesicles:
    Phase transitions, budding, and the role of membrane proteins. [vesicle with phase-separated domains] [vesicle with phase-separated domains]

    Granular Media:
    Electrostatic charge, contact forces, structure and stress.
    [Charged sandpile]

    Colloids and Optics:
    Scattering and diffusion of light in randomly packed films.
    [photonic cartoon] [opaque random media]

    Cylindrical Fluid Structures: hydrodynamic
    focusing of viscoelastic fluids.
    [Fluid cylinder] [Hollow elastic cylinder]

    Hydrodynamics of Spherical Viscous Membranes:
    flow field around a rod moving on a sphere.
    [flow field on viscous membrane] [flow field on viscous membrane]

    Former Projects: Entropic forces near rigid
    and flexible surfaces:
    [vesicles and particles] [entropic force fields]

    Doped semiconductor nanoparticles:
    [light emission]

    Copyright 2009 University of Massachusetts Amherst. Site Policies.
    This site is maintained by A. Dinsmore (dinsmore_at_physics.umass.edu).