TITLE: Systems Chemistry & wall-less fluidics

AUTHOR:  Thomas Hermans (IMDEA Nanociencia)

WHEN: February, 05th - 12PM

WHERE: Salón de Actos, ICMM-CSIC

ABSTRACT: This lecture will introduce two of the main topics of the Systems Chemistry Laboratory at IMDEA Nanociencia: i) Supramolecular Systems Chemistry, and 2) Liquid-walled fluidics.

Systems Chemistry. Actin or microtubule (MT) cytoskeletal networks, achieve dynamics as well as supramolecular structures with the same protein building blocks. In other words, the components can assemble, but also react (i.e., tubulin is also an enzyme that hydrolyses guanosine triphosphate GTP), which in turn affects the assemblies. In this way, living systems use chemical fuels (e.g., GTP) and self-assembly to create a built-in chemomechanical interaction. Here, I present recent[1–6] chemical reaction networks from our group, where interesting new behaviors were found, such as supramolecular size oscillations, traveling polymerization, or transient assembly.

Liquid-walled fluidics. We have recently developed a completely new method to flow and pump fluids in general, using magnetically levitated “liquid tubes”.[7] Specifically, quadrupolar magnetic fields cause a magnetic liquid (i.e., a ferrofluid) to surround a second non-magnetic liquid, thus avoiding any solid wall in the entire fluidic device. Liquid tubes have unique properties, such as 60–90% reduced drag,[8] plug flow,[9] and ultra-soft walls (2–10 kPa)[10]. The liquid walls can easily deform to adapt to the shape of any solid aggregate and evacuate it in a frictionless manner. I show applications in flow chemistry[11] and in blood pumping[12].

[1]    N. Singh, B. Lainer, G. J. M. Formon, S. De Piccoli, T. M. Hermans, “Re-programming Hydrogel Properties Using a Fuel-Driven Reaction Cycle” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 4083–4087.
[2]    J. Leira-Iglesias, A. Tassoni, T. Adachi, M. Stich, T. M. Hermans, “Oscillations, travelling fronts and patterns in a supramolecular system” Nature Nanotechnology 2018, 13, 1021.
[3]    N. Singh, A. Lopez-Acosta, G. J. M. Formon, T. M. Hermans, “Chemically Fueled Self-Sorted Hydrogels” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 410–415.
[4]    A. Sharko, D. Livitz, S. De Piccoli, K. J. M. Bishop, T. M. Hermans, “Insights into Chemically Fueled Supramolecular Polymers” Chem. Rev. 2022, 122, 11759–11777.
[5]    C. Chen, J. S. Valera, T. B. M. Adachi, T. M. Hermans, “Efficient Photoredox Cycles to Control Perylenediimide Self‐Assembly” Chemistry A European J 2023, 29, DOI 10.1002/chem.202202849.
[6]    A. Sharko, B. Spitzbarth, T. M. Hermans, R. Eelkema, “Redox-Controlled Shunts in a Synthetic Chemical Reaction Cycle” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 9672–9678.
[7]    P. Dunne, T. Adachi, A. A. Dev, A. Sorrenti, L. Giacchetti, A. Bonnin, C. Bourdon, P. H. Mangin, J. M. D. Coey, B. Doudin, T. M. Hermans, “Liquid flow and control without solid walls” Nature 2020, 581, 58–62.
[8]    A. A. Dev, P. Dunne, T. M. Hermans, B. Doudin, “Fluid Drag Reduction by Magnetic Confinement” Langmuir 2022, 38, 719–726.
[9]    A. A. Dev, F. Sacarelli, G. Bagheri, A. Joseph, A. Oleshkevych, E. Bodenschatz, P. Dunne, T. Hermans, B. Doudin, 2024, DOI: 10.48550/arXiv.2402.16510.
[10]    A. A. Dev, T. M. Hermans, B. Doudin, “Ultra-Soft Liquid-Ferrofluid Interfaces” Advanced Functional Materials n.d., n/a, 2411811.
[11]    A. Mata, C. de Fraipont, C. Hervieux, L. Giacchetti, O. Hadj-Sassi, A. Bogicevic, V. Marichez, T. M. Hermans, “Nonclogging Liquid-Walled Continuous Flow Reactors” Org. Process Res. Dev. 2025, 29, 472–478.
[12]    M. Zolala, V. Heim, C. V. Denis, P. J. Lenting, P. H. Mangin, T. M. Hermans, “Magnetostaltic pumping in an ex vivo extracorporeal membrane oxygenation model” J Transl Med 2026, DOI 10.1186/s12967-026-07734-w.