James Richards

James is a soft matter physicist with a PhD from the University of Edinburgh on the rheology of concentrated suspensions. In collaboration with AkzoNobel as part of the Soft Matter and Functional Interfaces CDT, his work focussed on linking microscopic interactions to bulk behaviour, establishing a new understanding of how surfactants tune suspension flow by controlling frictional contact.

Continuing in Edinburgh as a postdoctoral researcher, he developed novel microscopy analysis techniques for turbid complex fluids based upon differential dynamic microscopy. This included particle sizing for flowing colloidal suspensions, suitable for in-line testing, and probes of the microscopic yielding dynamics for soft solids, to gain mechanistic insight into formulations.

Currently, he is working on projects looking at the use of concentrated suspensions in display glass applications and using tribo-rheology to understand the lubrication properties of complex fluids. His research interests lie in developing new experimental techniques and phenomenological models to explore the intricate interplay between fluid flow, surface deformation and non-Newtonian rheology found in the varied applications of soft matter.