BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Memento EPFL//
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:Ion adsorption at mineral-electrolyte interfaces
DTSTART:20151029T100000
DTSTAMP:20260415T082834Z
UID:b2873098663f14f924c69b40a89a4b3373176503fd601ddfaaf47428
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Frieder Mugele\, University of Twente\nFrom atomic scale
  AFM imaging to macroscopic wetting transitions\nThe distribution of ions 
 and charge at solid-water interfaces plays an essential role in a wide ran
 ge of processes in biology\, geology and technology. While theoretical mod
 els of the solid-electrolyte interface date back to the early 20th century
 \, experimental techniques largely rely on macroscopic averaging and there
 fore lack the spatial resolution to test key predictions.\nUsing recent ad
 vances in high-resolution Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) we show\, with ato
 mic level precision\, how cations common in natural environments adsorb to
  heterogeneous mineral-electrolyte interfaces and thereby alter the electr
 ostatic and chemical properties of the surface. In combination with densit
 y functional theory calculations\, the experiments reveal a detailed pictu
 re of the formation of surface phases by templated adsorption of ions unde
 r the influence of electrostatic and hydration forces.\nThese changes of t
 he microscopic surface chemistry have dramatic consequences for the affini
 ty of organic solutes and in particular for the macroscopic wettability of
  the surfaces: mica surfaces immersed in ambient decane\, display a transi
 tion from complete water wetting to partial wetting. This transition is co
 ntrolled by the affinity of the cations to the interface that can be descr
 ibed by a Hofmeister series of wettability. This phenomenon is believed to
  play a major role in the success of modern technologies of enhanced oil r
 ecovery.\nBio: Prof. Mugele studied physics at the University of Konstanz 
 (Germany) and obtained his PhD there in 1997 with a work in surface scienc
 e studying diffusion on metal surfaces in ultrahigh vacuum. During a postd
 octoral research stay (1998/99) as a Humboldt Fellow at the Lawrence Berke
 ley National Laboratory in Berkeley\, CA (USA) he became interested in liq
 uid-solid interfaces and confined liquids. As a research assistant at the 
 University of Ulm (Germany\; 1999-2004\; habilitation 2003)\, he extended 
 his work to wetting of functionalized surfaces\, including in particular e
 lectrowetting. Since 2004\, he has been full Professor of Physics of Compl
 ex Fluids at the University of Twente (The Netherlands).\nProf. Mugele is 
 heading a group of approx. 25 researchers studying fundamental and applied
  aspects of fluids at interfaces on scales ranging from molecular dimensio
 ns to the millimeter scale. Prof. Mugele’s research interest include ele
 ctrowetting\, wetting of complex surfaces\, dynamic wetting\, drop dynamic
 s\, two-phase flow microfluidics\, AFM spectroscopy in fluids\, confined l
 iquids\, nanofluidics\, optofluidics\, colloids\, (micro-)rheology. Applic
 ation areas include inkjet printing\, immersion lithography\, lab-on-a-chi
 p systems – and in particular enhanced oil recovery.\nProf. Mugele has p
 ublished more than 140 scientific articles including the standard review o
 n electrowetting.
LOCATION:INM201 http://plan.epfl.ch/?lang=fr&room=INM201
STATUS:CONFIRMED
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR