Faculty Profile
Avik Chatterjee
Avik Chatterjee
Associate Professor
220 Jahn Lab
Ph.D., 1996, Cornell University; Postdoctoral Associate, 1996-1998, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Postdoctoral Associate, 1998-1999, Institute of Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland at College Park.
The research efforts in the Chatterjee group focus on understanding structure and thermodynamics in complex fluids using methods of macromolecular liquid-state theory. The problems we investigate are at the interface of physical chemistry and materials science, and our methods include both numerical techniques for solving coupled integral equations as well as the development of analytical theory and models. In particular, we employ the connectedness Ornstein-Zernike formalism to elucidate geometric/connectedness percolation in polymeric fluids and mixtures. The percolation threshold for elongated, rod-like nanoparticles dispersed in a matrix of flexible macromolecules depends upon both the nanoparticle aspect ratio as well as the particle-matrix interactions. Exploring the nature of these dependences within the integral-equation based connectedness Ornstein-Zernike as well as lattice-based approaches are avenues of continuing interest to our group.
Additionally, we are interested in the elastic properties of nanofiber-reinforced composites. A theoretical framework for modeling such nanocomposites has been developed which integrates micromechanical estimates for network deformation energies with results from percolation theory and effective medium formalisms appropriate to heterogeneous materials. In recent years, we have also developed an analogy between continuum and lattice percolation in order to investigate the impact of polydispersity in the sizes and shapes of particles upon the percolation threshold.
An overview of our research into connectedness percolation in polymeric systems is provided in this set of slides (PDF). Further details regarding our work may be found in Dr. Xiaoling Wang's doctoral thesis (PDF).
As an example, the illustration below compares percolation thresholds for random, isotropic spherocylinders as a function of the aspect ratio calculated from (i) our theory (solid line: “Connectedness percolation in isotropic systems of monodisperse spherocylinders”, A.P. Chatterjee, J. Phys.: Condensed Matter, 27, 375302, (2015)), with: (ii) results from Monte Carlo simulations (filled triangles: “Percolation in suspensions of hard nanoparticles: From spheres to needles”, T. Schilling, M.A. Miller, and P. van der Schoot, Europhys. Lett., 111, 56004, (2015)).
Selected Publications:
“Bethe lattice model with site and bond correlations for continuum percolation by isotropic systems of monodisperse rods”, A.P. Chatterjee, Phys. Rev. E, 96, 022142, (2017).
“Tunneling conductivity in anisotropic nanofiber composites: a percolation-based model”, A.P. Chatterjee and C. Grimaldi, J. Phys.: Condensed Matter, 27, 145302, (2015).
“Quasiuniversal connectedness percolation of polydisperse rod systems”, B. Nigro, C. Grimaldi, P. Ryser, A.P. Chatterjee, and P. van der Schoot, Phys. Rev. Letters, 110, 015701, (2013).
- Blackboard website for classes (log-in required)
- Publications (Google Scholar)