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Pattern Formation and Fluctuations in Liquids

The research of the group is focused on the experimental investigation of fluctuations and pattern formation in complex liquids. Research topics include non equilibrium fluctuations during diffusion processes in microgravity, hydrodynamic instabilities in complex fluids, heat transfer with smart nanofluids, hydrodynamic instabilities of liquid jets, and bio-fluidmechanics. The laboratory has a wide expertise in the development of advanced optical diagnostic techniques especially suited for the investigation of liquids in Space. In particular, in collaboration with UCSB we have developed the dynamic shadowgraphy diagnostics employed during the GRADFLEX microgravity experiment of ESA aboard FOTON M3. We have devised and developed the Near Field Scattering technique, which has been selected by ESA for the SODI-COLLOID facility aboard the International Space Station.        

April 2020

Shaping the future of space research in collaboration with industry

A new video series of the European Space Agency outlines the benefits on investigating the behavior  of fluids in the absence of gravity for the development of industrial applications

Fluid mixtures. We_research. You_benefit

2017-

The Giant-Fluctuations (Neuf-Dix) international space project of the European Space Agency has started. The project is aimed at the investigation of non-equlibrium fluctuations occurring diring diffusive processes in complex liquids in the absence of gravity. It will address both the fundamental understanding of diffusive processes at the mesoscopic scale and the development of innovative diagnostic tools based on the detection of non-equilibrium fluctuations. Read introductory paper in EPJE

September 2016

Our space project on the mixing of liquids in the absence of gravity is one of the success stories of the European Space Agency