EXPERIMENTAL AND MODELING STUDY OF MICRO AND NANO SUSPENSIONS SUBJECTED TO THERMAL AND ELECTRIC FIELDS

Abstract

This thesis examines quantitatively responses of micro/nano suspension systems in the presence of thermal or electric fields. The responses of a micro/nano suspension system in the presence of mechanical, thermal and/or electrical fields can be very different from the responses of its constitutive phases. These differences provide a fundamental basis for either investigating characteristic properties of dispersed phase of a suspension or engineering new materials with specific properties. Recognizing this, the thesis covers two aspects. The first part of this thesis investigates morphological features, particularly the shape of a single cell, using electrical impedance techniques. In the second part of the thesis, the response of micro/nano suspension systems in the presence of the thermal field is theoretically investigated through the study of their effective thermal conductivity. Understanding this response is a key to designing and fabricating novel materials with desirable thermal properties for many applications such as cooling and lubrication.