ESPCI web site
From Individual Polymers to Collective Behavior : Exploring Polymer Interactions
Polymers in solution exhibit complex behavior that arises from the interplay between their molecular conformation, their interactions with other polymers, and the surrounding flow. In this talk, I will present how two of my postdoctoral projects—focusing respectively on individual polymer dynamics and the rheology of polymer solutions—have led me to explore polymer interactions at the nanoscopic scale.
I will first show how nanopore techniques, combined with an optical detection method, enable the characterization of polymer translocation at the molecular scale. I will then report observations of spontaneous low-velocity waves in viscoelastic flows over microstructured surfaces, highlighting their connection to elastic turbulence.
These two studies raise fundamental questions about the link between individual polymer dynamics and macroscopic flow properties. I will conclude with a discussion on how polymer translocation through nanopores could serve as a tool to probe polymer elongation in flow and its impact on fluid rheology.