Advisor: M.F. Islam, ChE & MSE
Melting and freezing are among the most dramatic
phenomena exhibited by condensed matter. We are
currently investigating the change in the elastic
modulus and the particle dynamics during the melting
process near grain boundaries within three dimensional
colloidal crystals. An undergraduate researcher
involved in this project will learn to image microscopic
colloidal particles using optical microscope, learn
to track motions of thousands of particles near
grain boundaries during the melting process, and
then use two-point microrheology to determine the
elastic modulus as a function of distance from
the grain boundaries. This project will determine
the microscopic definition of melting temperature. |
