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<!DOCTYPE HTML>
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<title>diego becerra</title>
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<meta name="description" content="Research group website of Diego Becerra, focused on soft matter, polymer rheology and nanofluidics." />
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<li><a href="#home" class="active scrolly">Home</a></li>
<li><a href="#research">Research</a></li>
<li><a href="#publications">Publications</a></li>
<li><a href="#education">Education</a></li>
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<header class="major"><h2>Research Vision</h2></header>
<p>My research combines theory and simulation to study soft matter and complex fluids across multiple scales. By linking molecular-level interactions with macroscopic observables, I explore how structure and dynamics emerge in systems such as polymer melts, liquid crystal networks, and nanoconfined fluids. Using atomistic and coarse-grained models, my work aims to bridge microscopic mechanisms and bulk behavior, advancing both fundamental understanding and predictive capabilities in engineering applications.</p>
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<span class="profile-image"><img src="images/image10.webp" alt="Photo of Diego Becerra" /></span>
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<h2>Diego Becerra</h2>
<p>Assistant Professor</p>
<p>Department of Chemical Engineering<br />University of Concepción</p>
<p>Office hours: Tuesday 10.15 AM - 11.15 AM<br />(Of. 405)</p>
<p><a href="mailto:diegobecerra@udec.cl">diegobecerra@udec.cl</a></p>
</div>
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<ul class="profile-links">
<li><a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7429-9151" target="_blank" rel="me noopener noreferrer">ORCID: 0000-0002-7429-9151</a></li>
<li><a href="https://academictree.org/chemistry/tree.php?pid=859307" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Academic tree</a></li>
</ul>
<ul class="actions special profile-actions">
<li><a href="cv.pdf" class="button" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Curriculum Vitae</a></li>
</ul>
<ul class="icons custom-icons">
<li><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Diego_Becerra7" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="icon brands fa-researchgate alt"><span class="label">ResearchGate</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=es&user=o2SuMuAAAAAJ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="icon brands fa-google alt"><span class="label">Google Scholar</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://github.com/dbecerra-dev" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="icon brands fa-github alt"><span class="label">GitHub</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/diego-becerra-riquelme/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="icon brands fa-linkedin alt"><span class="label">LinkedIn</span></a></li>
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</section>
<section id="research" class="main special">
<header class="major"><h2>Research Areas</h2></header>
<div class="research-container">
<div class="research-box" id="area-1">
<div class="box-title">Soft Matter: Structure and Dynamics</div>
<div class="box-info">
<div>
<img alt="Soft Matter" src="images/softmatter.webp">
</img></div>
<p class="lorem-ipsum">
Soft matter refers to materials whose behavior is strongly influenced by thermal fluctuations, where the thermal energy
(<i>k<sub>B</sub>T</i>) is comparable to the strength of the molecular interactions. This includes a wide range of substances such as colloids, polymers, foams, gels, granular materials, liquid crystals, surfactants, and a number of biomaterials. Research in this field focuses on understanding how molecular architecture, thermodynamic conditions, and external forces govern the structural and dynamic properties of these materials. For example, in liquid crystal polymers, the interplay between the polymer's architecture and liquid crystal moieties influences mesophase transitions and thermal behavior. By using computational methods such as coarse-grained molecular dynamics, we explore how these materials respond to thermal fluctuations, contributing to the design of advanced materials with tunable properties.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="research-box" id="area-2">
<div class="box-title">Polymer Rheology Predictions</div>
<div class="box-info">
<div>
<img alt="Polymer Rheology" src="images/polymer.webp"/>
</div>
<p class="lorem-ipsum">
Rheology is the study of how materials deform and flow under external forces, linking stress and deformation over time. In soft matter systems like polymers and complex fluids, it reveals non-Newtonian behaviors.
Our research explores polymer rheology through theoretical and computational approaches, focusing on both linear and nonlinear regimes. We bridge multiple levels of description, from atomistic force fields in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to coarse-grained models like the discrete slip-link model (DSM). This multiscale framework allows us to predict rheological behavior across vastly different time and length scales.
By integrating physics-based models with high-fidelity simulations, our work advances predictive capabilities in polymer rheology, offering fundamental understanding and practical applications in materials design and processing.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="research-box" id="area-3">
<div class="box-title">Transport Phenomena at the Nanoscale
</div>
<div class="box-info">
<div>
<img alt="Nanoscale Transport" src="images/transportnano.webp"/>
</div>
<p class="lorem-ipsum">The high surface-to-volume ratio is why fluids in nanoconfinement, such as nanochannels or nanopores, exhibit exotic behaviors that deviate from continuum theories. At the nanoscale, classic Navier-Stokes equations shift from being predictive to merely descriptive. In this context, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are key to studying fluid and biomolecular dynamics, providing insights beyond macroscopic models. Our research focuses on nanofluidic systems, particularly the role of 2D material coatings like graphene and hBN in nanochannels, which alter transport properties such as slip lengths and Kapitza resistance. We also explore the behavior of complex biological systems confined in nanoscale environments to understand the dynamics at this scale.
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<section id="publications" class="main">
<header class="major"><h2>Peer-Reviewed Publications</h2></header>
<div class="publication-list">
<ul>
<li><p><b>D. Becerra</b>, G. Schiappacasse-Parra, and J. M. Garrido.
Biaxiality and anisotropic thermal transport in side-chain liquid crystal elastomers with tunable mesogen
attachment
<i>The Journal of Chemical Physics</i>, <b>164</b>(13), 2026.<br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0322402" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0322402</a>
</p></li>
<li><p>M. Katzarova, A. Córdoba, <b>D. Becerra</b>, and J. D. Schieber.
Slip-link model predictions for the flow of entangled melts of star-branched and linear chains of similar
span length
<i>Rheologica Acta</i>, <b>65</b>:409–418, 2026.<br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-026-01560-z" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-026-01560-z</a>
</p></li>
<li><p>M. Katzarova, <b>D. Becerra</b>, A. Córdoba, K. Taletskiy, and J. D. Schieber.
Slip-Link Theory Predicts Entangled, Star-Branched Relaxation Measurably Different from Tube Model
Predictions.
<i>Macromolecules</i>, <b>59</b>(1):564–574, 2025. <b><span class="featured">Featured in Front Cover</span></b><br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.5c01583" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.5c01583</a>
</p></li>
<li><p>A. Córdoba, <b>D. Becerra</b>, and J. D. Schieber.
Stable upstream swimming of a swarm of puller microswimmers.
<i>Physics of Fluids</i>, <b>37</b>(6):061704, 2025.<br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0275436" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0275436</a>
</p></li>
<li><p>A. Córdoba, <b>D. Becerra</b>, and J. D. Schieber.
Reëntanglement Dynamics in Polymer Melts Can Be Explained by Fast Dangling End Retraction without Resorting to Nonuniversality.
<i>ACS Macro Letters</i>, <b>14</b>(3):385–390, 2025.<br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.4c00809" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.4c00809</a>
</p></li>
<li><p>A. Rojano, <b>D. Becerra</b>, J. H. Walther, S. Prakash, and H. A. Zambrano.
Effect of charge inversion on the electrokinetic transport of nanoconfined multivalent ionic solutions.
<i>Physics of Fluids</i>, <b>36</b>(10):102025, 2024. <br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0227719" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0227719</a>
</p></li>
<li><p><b>D. Becerra</b>, J. H. Walther, and H. A. Zambrano.
Role of Underlying Substrates on the Interfacial Thermal Transport in Supported Graphene Nanochannels:
Implications of Thermal Translucency.
<i>Nano Letters</i>, <b>24</b>(39):12054–12061, 2024. <b><span class="featured">Featured in Front Cover</span></b><br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c02106" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c02106</a>
</p></li>
<li><p>
<b>D. Becerra</b>, A. Klotz, and L. M. Hall.
Single-molecule analysis of solvent-responsive mechanically interlocked ring polymers and the effects of nanoconfinement from coarse-grained simulations.
<i>The Journal of Chemical Physics</i>, <b>160</b>(11):114906–114906, 2024.<br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0191295" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0191295</a>
</p></li>
<li><p>
<b>D. Becerra</b>, P. R. Jois, and L. M. Hall.
Conformational variability of intrinsically isotropic polymers with varying stiffness immersed in nematogenic solvents.
<i>Polymer</i>, <b>295</b>:126774, 2024.<br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2024.126774" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2024.126774</a>
</p></li>
<li><p>
<b>D. Becerra</b>, Y. Xu, X. Wang and L. M. Hall.
Impact of Molecular-level Structural Disruption on Relaxation Dynamics of Polymers with End-on and Sideon Liquid Crystal Moieties.
<i>ACS Nano</i>, <b>17</b>(24):24790–24801, 2023.<br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.3c05354" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.3c05354</a>
</p></li>
<li><p>
<b>D. Becerra</b>, A. Córdoba, J. H. Walther and H. A. Zambrano.
Water flow in a polymeric nanoslit channel with graphene and hexagonal boron nitride wall coatings: An
atomistic study.
<i>Physics of Fluids</i>, <b>35</b>(10):102009, 2023.<br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0165657" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0165657</a>
</p></li>
<li><p>
<b>D. Becerra</b>, P. R. Jois, L. M. Hall.
Coarse-grained modeling of polymers with end-on and side-on liquid crystal moieties: Effect of architecture.
<i>The Journal of Chemical Physics</i>, <b>158</b>(22):224901, 2023.<br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0152817" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0152817</a>
</p></li>
<li><p><b>D. Becerra</b>, A. Córdoba, and J. D. Schieber. Examination of Nonuniversalities in Entangled Polymer Melts during the Start-Up of Steady Shear Flow.
<i>Macromolecules</i>, <b>54</b>(17):8033-8042, 2021. <b><span class="featured">Featured in Front Cover</span></b><br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00156" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00156</a>
</p></li>
<li><p><b>D. Becerra</b>, A. Córdoba, M. Katzarova, M. Andreev, D. C. Venerus, and J. D. Schieber. Polymer rheology predictions from first principles using the slip-link model.
<i>Journal of Rheology</i>, <b>64</b>(5):1035-1043, 2020.<br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1122/8.0000040" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1122/8.0000040</a>
</p></li>
<li>
<p>
E. Wagemann<b><font color="white">, D. Becerra</font></b>, J. H. Walther, and H. A. Zambrano. Water flow enhancement in amorphous silica nanochannels coated with monolayer graphene.
<i>MRS Communications</i>, <b>10</b>(3):428-433, 2020.<br/>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1557/mrc.2020.53" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/mrc.2020.53</a>
</p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</section>
<section id="education" class="main special">
<header class="major"><h2>Education</h2></header>
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<span>Go to my channel for videos</span>
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<a href="slides/thermodynamics-lecture-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lecture 1</a>
<a href="slides/thermodynamics-lecture-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lecture 2</a>
<a href="slides/thermodynamics-lecture-3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lecture 3</a>
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<a href="slides/transport-lecture-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Momentum Transport</a>
<a href="slides/transport-lecture-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Heat Transport</a>
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<a href="slides/fluids-lecture-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Navier-Stokes Equations</a>
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