L. (Lorenzo) Botto

L. (Lorenzo) Botto

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Research

I am interested in materials that are processed in the liquid state, and how we can use fluid mechanics to understand their behaviour. 

Current areas of interest include:

  • flows of carbon micro and nanomaterials (particularly graphene)
  • wetting phenomena (wetting of textiles, fundamentals of elastocapillarity, solid-stabilised emulsions and foams)
  • sedimentation of environmental flocs (for water engineering and ecology) 

Research Profile

My expertise is multiphase fluid mechanics and transport phenomena. I am particularly attracted to problems at the interface between fluid dynamics and materials engineering, studied with the theoretical tools of mechanics and physico-chemical hydrodynamics.
Investigations in my group start from gathering data, using highly resolved simulations (both MD and continuum), experiments, or a combination of the two. Developing when possible a mathematical theory is the primary goal of much of what I do. 
The main motivation of my current research is to help the world moving away from oil and gas. Towards this goal, I focus my recent research in the following areas:
- flow of slurries and dispersions of carbon nanomaterials , particularly graphene. These have use in  electrodes and energy materials - liquid-phase exfoliation of layered and 2D materials - large-scale production of graphene powders for hydrogen or CO2 adsorption via spray methods - battery recycling via liquid-based processing


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