Norbert Willenbacher

Norbert Willenbacher is a German physicist. He is the professor of mechanical process engineering at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.[1] Willenbacher is known for discovering the capillary suspension phenomenon. He is the former President of the German Rheological Society.[2]

Career

In 1990, Willenbacher studied physics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and completed his dissertation at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research.[1] Willenbacher joined BASF SE's polymer research division.[3][4]

In 2005, he became Head of the Institute of Mechanical Process Engineering and Mechanics at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.[5] From 2012 to 2014, he was the Dean of the Faculty for Chemical and Process Engineering at KIT. Since 2017, Willenbacher also serves as Head of the Technology Transfer Unit "Rheology and Formulation of Complex Fluids" at KIT Campus Transfer GmbH.[6]

From 2013 to 2014, Willenbacher served as chairman of the supervisory board (Aufsichtsrat) of juwi AG, a renewable-energy project developer based in Wörrstadt, before stepping down in favor of Norbert Müller[1][7][8]

Research

Willenbacher's research focuses on the rheology of complex fluids and the relationship between their microscopic structure and macroscopic flow behavior. His work includes applications in coatings, printing, food, ceramics, batteries, and additive manufacturing.[9][10]

His research group developed micro-rheo-mapping (MRM), an imaging-based method for measuring local rheological properties and studying structural variations in gels.[11]

Willenbacher worked on the capillary suspension phenomenon. In a three-phase system consisting of a bulk liquid, particles, and a small amount of a second immiscible liquid, capillary forces induced by the secondary fluid can create a particle network spanning the entire sample volume. This network alters the rheological properties, converting a fluid-like suspension into a gel-like paste with a tunable yield stress.[12]

Awards and honors

Selected publications

  • Fritz, G.; Schädler, V.; Willenbacher, N.; Wagner, N. J. (2002). "Electrosteric stabilization of colloidal dispersions". Langmuir. 18 (16): 6381–6390. doi:10.1021/la015734j.
  • Koos, E.; Willenbacher, N. (2011). "Capillary forces in suspension rheology". Science. 331 (6019): 897–900. doi:10.1126/science.1199243. PMID 21330542.
  • Maurath, J.; Willenbacher, N. (2017). "3D printing of open-porous cellular ceramics with high specific strength". Journal of the European Ceramic Society. 37 (15): 4833–4842. doi:10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2017.06.001.
  • Front side metallization of silicon solar cells – A high-speed video imaging analysis of the screen printing process, K Abdel Aal and Norbert Willenbacher, doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2020.110721
  • Phase-Change-Enabled, Rapid, High-Resolution Direct Ink Writing of Soft Silicone, Y Wang and N Willenbacher, Advanced Materials 34 (15), 2109240 (2022); doi.org/10.1002/adma.202109240
  • Imaging of the microstructure of Carbopol dispersions and correlation with their macroelasticity: a micro-and macrorheological study, C Oelschlaeger, J Marten, F Péridont, and N Willenbacher, Journal of Rheology 66 (4), 749-760 (2022) doi.org/10.1122/8.0000452

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Maslanko, Kevin (15 July 2026). "KIT - Institute of Mechanical Process Engineering and Mechanics - The MVM - Organization - Staff". www.mvm.kit.edu. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Energie-Treff Plus: Vortrag und Austausch mit Prof. Dr. Norbert Willenbacher am 6. Oktober - zuvor Flammkuchen & neuer Wein". NordPfalzEnergie eG (in German). 10 September 2023.
  3. ↑ "Norbert Willenbacher" (PDF). celest.de.
  4. ↑ "Innovative Concepts for Formulation and Processing of Printable Materials". dokumen.pub.
  5. ↑ "To Thicken Up Runny Mixtures -- Add Fluid?". www.eurekalert.org. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Client Challenge". www.oist.jp. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "juwi holt Ex-Bundesbank-Direktor ins Boot". IWR (in German).
  8. ↑ "Wirtschaftsexperte Norbert Müller wird neuer Vorsitzender des juwi-Aufsichtsrats". w3.windmesse.de (in German).
  9. ↑ Urquhart, James. "To thicken up runny liquids, add fluid". Chemistry World. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  10. ↑ Ranquet, Ophélie; Duce, Celia; Bramanti, Emilia; Dietemann, Patrick; Bonaduce, Ilaria; Willenbacher, Norbert (28 March 2023). "A holistic view on the role of egg yolk in Old Masters' oil paints". Nature Communications. 14 (1): 1534. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-36859-5. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 10050151. PMID 36977659.
  11. ↑ Koos, Erin; Johannsmeier, Julia; Schwebler, Linda; Willenbacher, Norbert (2012). "Tuning suspension rheology using capillary forces". Soft Matter. 8 (24): 6620. doi:10.1039/C2SM25681A. ISSN 1744-683X. Archived from the original on 8 January 2026.
  12. ↑ "To solidify, just add water". Physics World. 21 February 2011. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Schaefer, Susann (EMR) (16 March 2026). "The Department - Innovation". www.ciw.kit.edu. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
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