Electromagnetically controlled surfactant concentrations in interfacial flows

Project description

A ferrofluid is a colloidal-based magnetic fluid that is made by mixing nanoparticles and a surfactant into a viscous liquid. The surfactant is used to coat the ferromagnetic nanoparticles and hence prevent their agglomeration. Ferrofluids have a variety of applications in medicine (e.g. in drug delivery), technology etc. These fluids have the ability to be controlled by suitably applying a magnetic field, so it becomes clear that their study is both an interesting and challenging fluid mechanics subject.

This project will investigate the effects of magnetic field and soluble surfactants on a thin ferromagnetic fluid flowing down an inclined plane. Progress will be made theoretically using linear stability theory, numerically using simulations of appropriate reduced models, and experimentally (if time permits). The project will first explore a simpler case in which the fluid is weakly sensible to the magnetic field, and will later consider extension to cases in which the magnetic field changes with the motion of the fluid (this is true when a ferrofluid is considered).