Postdoctoral Researcher

Madrid, Spain

Education

PhD: Interfacial Rheology: Micro and macroscopic techniques and their application in the characterization of Langmuir monolayers. UNED, Madrid, 2017
MSc: Physics of Complex Systems. UNED, Madrid, 2013

Research Focus

Colloidal systems, in particular, emulsions, play a relevant role in numerous natural and industrial processes. Since the dispersed phase consists of a large number of small droplets in the continuous phase, the liquid/liquid interfacial area is remarkably high when compared with the volume of the system. As a consequence, the properties of that liquid/liquid interface significantly affect the overall behavior of the emulsion. Regarding the emulsion stability, it is desirable to understand the coalescence mechanism of drops, since de-emulsification and the eventual phase separation are the result of successive coalescence events. We are currently studying the coalescence of water droplets in lubricant oils by the means of single droplet coalescence experiments that allow us to analyze the role of the oil/water interface properties in the drainage and eventual rupture of the oil film separating the two aqueous phases.

Previous research experience

During my PhD, I designed and built an interfacial rheometer based on the controlled motion of a magnetic trap. Following the spirit of the magnetic needle interfacial shear rheometer first developed in the Fuller lab, the new driving mechanism along with the use of a new kind of probe consisting of thin magnetic microwires, allowed us to enhance the resolution of the technique and decrease the gap separating micro and macro-rheology methods.

More recently, during my postdoc at the University of Granada (Applied Physics department), I studied the response of magneto-fluids under the application of controlled 3D magnetic fields.