Research areas

Atoms and molecules in liquids are constantly moving within disordered structures. We use the van Hove correlation function (VHF) to describe atomic and molecular correlations in real space and real time. By combining inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) with numerical simulations, we investigate collective atomic motion and local structural changes in liquids.

We also study the microscopic origin of viscosity through local configurational excitations (LCEs), associated with changes in nearest-neighbor configurations. The correspondence between the characteristic timescale of LCEs and the Maxwell relaxation time provides insight into the relationship between microscopic structural changes and macroscopic fluidity.

Glasses and amorphous materials lack the periodic atomic arrangement found in crystals, and their mechanical properties are closely related to microscopic structure and atomic dynamics. Focusing on metallic glasses, we investigate local structure, dynamical heterogeneity, and atomic rearrangements during deformation.

In particular, we examine local configurational excitations (LCEs) and deformation-induced structural anisotropy to understand the relationship between local atomic rearrangements, cooperative motion, and plastic deformation. Our goal is to understand the macroscopic mechanical properties of glasses through these microscopic processes.

In charged colloidal dispersions, particle surface charges and ions in solution modify interparticle interactions, thereby affecting the structure, dynamics, and flow behavior of the system. We combine experimental measurements of pH, electrical conductivity, and rheological properties with theoretical modeling and numerical calculations to investigate particle charging, electrostatic screening, and interparticle interactions.

In particular, we focus on interaction-induced glass transitions to understand how changes in structure and particle dynamics give rise to viscosity and non-Newtonian flow. Our goal is to elucidate the microscopic origins of rheological behavior in colloidal dispersions.