Metasoft 2026 - Electronic-scale polarization and dissipation in interfacial water: a complex-fluid approach
Project leader : Hélène BERTHOUMIEUX & Cécilia Herrero
Schools involved : ESPCI Paris - PSL et ENS - PSL
Project summary :
When water comes into contact with a metal surface, far more is happening than one might expect. At the molecular scale, their interactions influence very concrete phenomena such as corrosion, energy storage in batteries, or friction at tiny scales. Yet these interactions remain difficult to describe with precision.
Schools involved : ESPCI Paris - PSL et ENS - PSL
Project summary :
When water comes into contact with a metal surface, far more is happening than one might expect. At the molecular scale, their interactions influence very concrete phenomena such as corrosion, energy storage in batteries, or friction at tiny scales. Yet these interactions remain difficult to describe with precision.
This project proposes a new theoretical approach to model what happens at the interface between water and a metal. Its originality lies in relying on analytical mathematical tools - formulas that can be interpreted and manipulated -rather than purely numerical simulations. This makes it possible to better understand how water molecules reorganise when in contact with metal, and how these two materials influence each other across different scales.
The expected results will have applications in a variety of fields: electrochemistry, corrosion prevention, energy conversion, and the design of systems where fluid transport at the nanoscale plays a key role.