Dr. Günter K. Auernhammer

Group leader Dynamic Wetting, Rheology, Particle Interaction
at the Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V.

Hohe Strasse 6
01069 Dresden

Phone: +49 (0)351 4658-486
Fax: +49 (0)351 4658-474
Email: auernhammer@ipfdd.de

We aim at understanding the dynamic properties of surface-dominated systems, including particles interactions, polymer brushes, complex liquids and granular suspension.

Soft matter systems that are dominated by surfaces and interfaces are in the focus of our research. We study their dynamic, and thus also quasi-static, properties to provide fundamental understanding of practically relevant processes. In this research we bridge the length scales form the nano scale up to macroscopic flow behavior.

On small scales we study the properties of colloidal particles and their interaction with colloidal probe AFM. Fields of interest include the surface properties of microplastic and hydrogel particles in various environments. On the same length scales, we are interested in interfacial mechanics, in particular on those related to liquid droplets interacting with solid surfaces. We correlate this nanoscopic wetting properties to macroscopic drop dynamics.

Controlling dynamic wetting and interfacial tension is relevant for different applications and technologies such as coating, printing, joining, self-cleaning, patterning and microfluidics. One key interest lies in the investigation of dynamic wetting on adaptive and responsive surfaces, e.g, the impact of the three-phase contact line and the history of the sample. Additionally to the substrate, transport processes around the contact line, e.g., through the gas phase, influence wetting dynamics. For example, this leads to interaction between non-touching drops and complex dynamics of drop merging.

• DFG CRC 1194: Interaction between Transport and Wetting Processes (2016-2024) (in collaboration with MPI-P Mainz and TU Darmstadt)
• DFG SPP 2171: Dynamic wetting of flexible, adaptive and switchable surfaces (2019-2022) (in collaboration with P. Uhlmann and A. Fery, PB 2, ITP and Uni Münster)
• DFG CRC 1357: MICROPLASTICS - Understanding the mechanisms and processes of biological effects, transport and formation: From model to complex systems as a basis for new solutions (2019-2022) (in collaboration with Uni Bayreuth)
• DFG RTG 1865: Hydrogel-based Microsystems (2013-2022) (in collaboration with TU Dresden)

• Schubotz, S.; Honnigfort, C.; Nazaria, S.; Fery, A.; Sommer, J.-U.; Uhlmann, P.; Braunschweig, B.; Auernhammer, G. K., Memory effects in polymer brushes showing co-nonsolvency effects. Ad. Colloid Interf. Sci. 2021.
  DOI 10.1016/j.cis.2021.102442.
• Zhao, B.; Jia, Y.; Xu, Y.; Bonaccurso, E.; Deng, X.; Auernhammer, G. K.; Chen, L., What Can Probing Liquid – Air Menisci Inside Nanopores Teach Us About Macroscopic Wetting Phenomena? ACS Appl. Mater Interf. 2021, 13, 6897 – 6905
  DOI 10.1021/acsami.0c21736.
• Rostami, P.; Straub, B. B.; Auernhammer, G. K., Gas-Phase Induced Marangoni Flow Causes Unstable Drop Merging. Langmuir 2020, 36, 28-36.
  DOI 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b02466.
• Zhao, B.; Luo, S.; Bonaccurso, E.; Auernhammer, G. K.; Deng, X.; Li, Z.; Chen, L., Resolving the Apparent Line Tension of Sessile Droplets and Understanding its Sign Change at a Critical Wetting Angle. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2019, 123, 094501.
  DOI 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.094501.
• Henrich, F.; Linke, D.; Sauer, H. M.; Dörsam, E.; Hardt, S.; Butt, H.-J.; Auernhammer, G. K., Forced dynamic dewetting of structured surfaces: Influence of surfactants. Phys. Rev. Fluids 2019, 4, 124202.
  DOI 10.1103/PhysRevFluids.4.124202.