Project description
Studying local stresses in complex materials at the nanoscale
Two unresolved problems are prominent examples of how a material’s macroscopic mechanical behaviour results from a complex interplay between microscopic stresses: the rheological properties of complex fluids, which are hard to determine, and the fact that as molten glass cools, the molecules do not slow down uniformly. The EU-funded Nanostress project will leverage molecules whose fluorescence properties depend strongly on the environment, notably on their spatial confinement, to study local stresses in complex materials at the nanometre scale and with unprecedented temporal resolution. By probing local stresses in great detail, the project could help make headway on other problems, in other fields, that look at general properties arising out of many disordered interactions.
Objective
Summary:
I will exploit novel molecules whose fluorescence properties depend strongly on the environment, notably on their spatial confinement, to study local stresses in complex materials down to the nanometer length scale and with unprecedented temporal resolution. Based on successful preliminary tests, I will develop this innovative methodology to tackle the fundamental scientific challenge of quantifying the long-range and very non-linear elasto-plastic stresses that govern the dynamics of friction, the glass transition and rheology.
Friction is an immense global source of energy loss; the glass transition is perhaps the most important unsolved problem in condensed matter physics; and rheology in complex fluids is at the same time ubiquitous and poorly understood. The common denominator of these three open challenges is that in each, the material’s macroscopic mechanical behavior results from a complex interplay between microscopic stresses that remain ill characterized. This presents a scientific bottleneck as well as a major obstacle in the engineering of many important materials and tools such as ball bearings, plastics and foodstuffs.
The fluorescent environmentally sensitive probes will allow me to achieve breakthrough results in three areas at once: (1) Locally measuring stresses in a frictional contact; (2) Probing the glass transition by local stress and viscosity measurements; (3) Visualizing and quantifying stress transmission in flowing complex fluids to explain non-Newtonian and non-local viscosity effects microscopically.
I have a track record in providing new insights in long-standing problems, spurring renewed scientific interest, and in combining fundamental research with potential for technological innovation. By probing local stresses in much more detail than was possible before, this project will break open some of the toughest research areas in non-linear physics and (statistical) mechanics with far-reaching engineering consequences.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2018-ADG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1012WX Amsterdam
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.