Thomas Hermans

Fellowship 2014

ARCHIVE

Thomas M. Hermans is an assistant professor and research group leader at the Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoléculaires (ISIS) of the Université de Strasbourg. In 2006 he obtained a MSc degree in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry from the Eindhoven University of Technology. In 2010 he received his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the same university under the supervision of Prof. E.W. (Bert) Meijer. From 2010-2013 he was an HFSP postdoctoral fellow in the group of Prof. Bartosz A. Grzybowski at Northwestern University. His current research interests are focused on (supramolecular) dissipative nonequilibrium systems using microfluidics to create out-of-equilibrium conditions.

Microfluidics without walls

USIAS Fellows : Michael Coey, Bernard Doudin et Thomas Hermans
Post-doc: Takuji Adachi and Peter Dunne

Microfluidics deals with the behavior, control and manipulation of fluids that are geometrically constrained. This is usually achieved using micro-fabricated sub-mm scale molds made of glass, plastic, or polymeric elastomers. We propose here a radically different approach, using magnetic forces to constrain the flow of liquids. This concept was pioneered by USIAS fellow M. Coey in 2010 (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106(22): 8811–8817), who showed how paramagnetic ‘liquid tubes’ can be created at the vicinity of a ferromagnetic guiding substrate. Our project aims at realizing a proof-of-principle demonstrator, using a magnetized circuit to constrain the flow of liquids and provide efficient mixing capabilities. Our long-term ambition is to take advantage of the technical developments in nanomagnetism and spintronics, in order to create a new type of microfluidic cell. This would allow fluidic manipulation and control beyond those possible on geometrically constrained flow circuits, with possible high impact for chemistry and life sciences applications.