Graduate Student
Jugal K. Gupta

Education

• B.S., Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Delhi), 2003
• M.S. Chemical Engineering (Spe. Process Engineering), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Delhi), 2004

Research Interests

Amplification of bimolecular interactions using liquid crystals and functionalized surfaces for bio-sensing applications

My research interests revolve around understanding of dynamic and equilibrium phenomena that are observed at interfaces defined by a liquid crystal and an immiscible aqueous phase. The structure and organization of species as diverse as proteins, synthetic polymers, lipids and surfactants, when assembled at the aqueous-liquid crystal interface, strongly influence the orientational ordering of the liquid crystals. The organization of the liquid crystal can impose itself on adsorbates at this interface to generate organizations of the adsorbates (e.g., lateral organization of domains) that are substantially different from isotropic material interfaces (e.g., air-water). Although the fundamental nature of this coupling remains to be fully defined, experiments do demonstrate that the elasticity of the liquid crystal can play an important role in directing the interfacial organization of molecular assemblies. In a technological context, this realization provides new opportunities to design interfaces at which molecular assemblies can be placed under active control.

Publications

1. Langergraber, G., Gupta, J. K., Pressl, A., Hofstaedter, F., Lettl, W., Weingartner, A., and Fleischmann, N.
   "On-line monitoring for control of a pilot-scale sequencing batch reactor using a submersible UV/VIS spectrometer".
   Water Science & Technology, 50(10):73-80, 2004.
2. Gupta, J.K., and Basu, S.
   "Simultaneous aggregation and sedimentation of silica particles in the presence of surfactants".
   Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical Engineering Aspects, 255:139-143, 2005.
3. Gupta, J. K., Meli, M. V., Teren, S., Abbott, N. L.
   "Elastic energy-driven phase separation of phospholipid monolayers at the nematic liquid crystal-aqueous interface".
   Physical Review Letters, 100(4):048301, 2008.
4. Sivakumar, S., Gupta, J. K., Abbott, N. L., Caruso, F.
   "Monodisperse Emulsions through Templating Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Capsules".
   Chemistry of Materials, 20:2063, 2008.

Contact

Mr. Jugal K. Gupta
Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison
2112 Engineering Hall
1415 Engineering Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1691
U.S.A.
tel: +1 608 262-9924
fax: +1 608 262-5434
email: jkgupta@wisc.edu