Project Description

Confined, multicomponent suspensions are common in many biomedical contexts, for example when one tries to separate blood from platelets and white blood cells. Researchers are starting to use polymer additives to aid in continuous, high throughput separations, and there is a need to unravel the role of fluid rheology, geometry, and flow rate on the dynamics of the particulates with a given size, shape, and composition. This project will study the structure and dynamics of confined, multicomponent suspensions in viscoelastic fluids, using a combination of simulations, coarse-grained theories, and microfluidic experiments. The central goal of this project is to develop a rational framework to predict how such suspensions segregate in wall-bound flows due to lift forces created by viscoelasticity, which will be used for focusing/separation by shape, size, and stiffness. The postdoc will use large scale numerical simulations and coarse-grained theories to gain insight into how channel geometry and fluid rheology alter the separation efficiency of suspensions of a given size, shape, stiffness, and concentration distribution. Microfluidic studies include holography and confocal imaging of viscoelastic fluids containing spherical and elongated particles. These will eventually be complemented by flow experiments using whole blood with platelets and white blood cells.

Start Date

April 2020

Postdoc Qualifications 

The postdoctoral researcher should have a degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or equivalent. The research requires a strong background in fluid mechanics and rheology. Experience in microfluidics as well as working knowledge of computational fluid dynamics is desirable.

Co-advisors 

Vivek Narsimhan
vnarsim@purdue.edu
Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering
https://engineering.purdue.edu/ChE/people/ptProfile?resource_id=169352 

Arezoo Ardekani
ardekani@purdue.edu
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
https://engineering.purdue.edu/ME/People/ptProfile?resource_id=110641

References 

V. Narsimhan, H. Zhao, and E.S.G. Shaqfeh, “Coarse-grained theory to predict the concentration distribution of red blood cells in wall-bounded Couette flow," Phys. Fluids., 25, 061901, (2013). DOI: 10.1063/1.4810808 

H. Zhao, E.S.G. Shaqfeh, and V. Narsimhan, “Shear-induced particle migration and margination in a cellular suspension," Phys. Fluids, 24, 011902 (2012). DOI: 10.1063/1.3677935 

Li G, McKinley GH, Ardekani A.M., "Dynamics of particle migration in channel flow of viscoelastic fluids," J Fluid Mech. 2015;785:486-505. doi: 10.1017/jfm.2015.619 

Karimi A, Yazdi S, Ardekani A.M., "Hydrodynamic mechanisms of cell and particle trapping in microfluidics," Biomicrofluidics. 2013;7(2):021501. doi: 10.1063/1.4799787. 

Ardekani AM, Joseph DD, Dunn-Rankin D, Rangel RH, "Particle-wall collision in a viscoelastic fluid,"J Fluid Mech. 2009;633:475-83. Epub 08/25. doi: 10.1017/S0022112009990632 

A.H. Raffiee, S. Dabiri, A.M. Ardekani, “Elasto-inertial migration of deformable capsules in a microchannel”, Biomicrofluidics, 11, 064113, 2017