Professor Hill's research focuses on the physics of polymers and liquid crystals, with emphasis on microstructure and rheology. Molecular orientation at solid boundaries can be influenced by particular surface treatments. For instance, the presence of grooves on a surface will induce alignment of the molecules parallel to them. The alignment nucleates at the surface but is not confined to it, for it propagates toward the bulk of the liquid driven by elastic torques.
Surface anchoring can influence the orientation field deep into the bulk of the liquid.
Compounding LCPs with small particles with favorable surface topography is an effective and economical way of controlling the microstructure. Current efforts focus on understanding the effects of particle size, shape, surface morphology, and concentration on the prevailing orientation field within the matrix. V. Sequeira and D.A. Hill. A Pseudo-chemical Model. Y. Kaznessis, D.A. Hill and E. Maginn.