The discovery of graphene and the growing family of crystalline, atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) materials has generated enormous interest across physics, chemistry and engineering. As research has moved from understanding fundamental properties toward technological applications, the production and integration of 2D materials requires the application of rational principles of solid and fluid mechanics to predict and control manufacturing processes and prevent defects. This course provides the necessary knowledge to understand the field of 2D materials from the point of view of mechanics, focusing particularly on the main theoretical principles that have been established recently in the area of fluid-solid coupling. These include, in addition to results on nanomechanics in “dry” environments, fluid-solid interactions in 2D particulate suspensions, flow-induced fracture of 2D materials in turbulent and laminar flows, as well as capillarity and adhesion phenomena during wet and dry transfer.
Target audience: the course is designed for two overlapping classes of researchers. On the one hand, PhD students and early-career researchers working on 2D materials. On the other hand, researchers at any career stage with a backround in mechanics (e.g. non-linear and fracture mechanics of thin sheets, multiphase flows with slender bodies/particles/cells, and fluid-structure interaction phenomena) wishing to enter the rich field of 2D materials research. It also provides an entry point for condensed-matter physicists interested in connecting atomistic phenomena with mesoscopic mechanics. Knowledge of 2D materials research is not assumed.
Course format: The course will bridge theory and applications, both during the lectures and via online “guest lectures” with leaders of academic or industrial research centers working on technological translation of 2D materials. Each lecturer will first provide the students fundational knowledge (elements of fracture mechanics, thin-plate mechanics, suspension hydrodynamics, interfacial physics) before providing examples of applications of such knowledge to specific industrial or academic problems. During the course, students will be given the opportunity to present their own research via dedicated poster and presentation sessions, and discuss their research lines with the lecturers in order to spur new research collaborations.
Benefits of attending the course: Overall, the course aims to establish the emerging field of mechanics of 2D material processing by bridging fundamental mechanics, nanotechnology and manufacturing. The scientific community interested in 2D materials is one of the largest in the world, and there is a need for experts in solid and fluid mechanics to contribute to many production and characterisation challenges. The course offers a point of entry to the 2D materials revolution that is currently defining the future of microelectronics (2D chips, 2D photonics) and countless other technologies. Furthermore, the course offers very useful foundational knowledge that can be of interest to anybody working on the fluid or solid mechanics of thin structures.
