UF Chemical Engineering > People > Faculty > Dmitry Kopelevich
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Dmitry Kopelevich
Ph.D., 2002, University of Notre Dame
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| Associate Professor |
Ph : 352-392-4422
dkopelevich@che.ufl.edu
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| Areas |
| Self-assembled surfactant systems |
| Transport in self-assembled systems |
| Thermal Transport in Integrated Circuits
and MEMS |
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| Our research focuses on theoretical and computational investigation
of transport phenomena and non-equilibrium processes in nanoscale
systems. Nanoscale processes are often qualitatively different
from the more familiar, and better understood, processes at
macroscopic scales. We combine molecular dynamics and multi-scale
simulations with theoretical tools, such as theories of stochastic
processes and of nonlinear dynamical systems, and apply them
to various systems whose understanding is of significant scientific
and technological importance. |
| Self-assembled surfactant systems |
| Surfactants (or amphiphiles) are molecules that contain
both hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments. In aqueous solutions
surfactants spontaneously self-assemble into a variety of
microstructures that find use in numerous applications,
including drug delivery vehicles, fluids with externally
controlled rheological properties, and templates for advanced
nanostructured materials. In addition to their industrial
uses, self-assembled structures of amphiphilic molecules,
such as cell membranes, are building blocks for various
biological systems. In all of these systems, the dynamics
of self-assembly and transitions between different self-assembled
structures plays an important role. Our goal is to understand
molecular mechanisms of these transitions. Currently, we
are investigating several systems, including formation and
break-up of spherical micelles and dynamics of lipid membranes.
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| Transport in self-assembled systems. |
| The process of mass transfer across surfactant-covered
microemulsion interfaces and lipid bilayers plays an important
role in numerous applications, including separations, reactions,
drug delivery, and detoxification, as well as in transport
in biological systems. We investigate the molecular mechanisms
of solute transport across an interface composed of tightly
packed amphiphilic molecules and assess various factors
that affect this transport. In addition, we study interactions
between lipid membranes and various nanoparticles (such
as fullerenes and carbon nanotubes). The motivation for
this work is to assess the possibility of permeation of
manufactured nanomaterials through cellular membranes, possible
destruction of the membranes, and impacts on living organisms.
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| Thermal Transport in Integrated Circuits
and MEMS |
| Steady decrease of the feature size of integrated circuits
towards the nanometer scale leads to an increase in generated
heat per unit area. Hence, efficient transfer of heat away
from hotspots of integrated circuits becomes a crucial issue
in design of the new generation of electronic devices. Efficient
thermal transport is even more important in moving parts of
MEMS (microelectromechanical systems). Our goal is to understand
the properties of the heat carriers in nanoscale crystals
and to develop a theory for nanoscale thermal transport that
would help design elements of integrated circuits and MEMS
with desirable thermal properties. |
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| Recent Publications |
| 1. |
Gupta, Ashish, Chauhan, Anuj and Kopelevich,
Dmitry I., “Molecular Transport across Fluid Interfaces:
Coupling between Solute Dynamics and Interface Fluctuations,”
Phys. Rev. E, 78 in press (2008). |
| 2. |
Gupta, A., Chauhan, A. and Kopelevich,
D.I., “Molecular Modeling of Surfactant Covered
Oil-Water Interfaces: Dynamics, Microstructure, and
Barrier for Mass Transport,” J. Chem. Phys., 128
(2008) 234709. |
| 3 |
Chen, C.-Y. and Kopelevich, D.I., “Phonon
Interactions in Zeolites Mediated by Anharmonicity and
Adsorbed Molecules,” Mol. Simulat., 34 (2008)
155. |
| 4. |
Mohan, G. and Kopelevich, D.I., “A
Multi-Scale Model for Kinetics of Formation and Disintegration
of Spherical Micelles,” J. Chem. Phys., 128 (2008)
044905. |
| 5. |
May, E.R., Narang, A. and Kopelevich,
D.I., “Role of Molecular Tilt in Thermal Fluctuations
of Lipid Membranes,” Phys. Rev. E, 76 (2007) 021913. |
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