3,347 research outputs found
Coexistence diameter in two-dimensional colloid-polymer mixtures
We demonstrate that the law of the rectilinear coexistence diameter in
two-dimensional (2D) mixtures of non-spherical colloids and non-adsorbing
polymers is violated. Upon approach of the critical point, the diameter shows
logarithmic singular behavior governed by a term t ln(t), with t the relative
distance from the critical point. No sign of a term t^2b could be detected,
with b the critical exponent of the order parameter, indicating a very weak or
absent Yang-Yang anomaly. Our analysis thus reveals that non-spherical particle
shape alone is not sufficient for the formation of a pronounced Yang-Yang
anomaly in the critical behavior of fluids.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. E (R
Equilibrium properties of highly asymmetric star-polymer mixtures
We employ effective interaction potentials to study the equilibrium structure
and phase behavior of highly asymmetric mixtures of star polymers. We consider
in particular the influence of the addition of a component with a small number
of arms and a small size on a concentrated solution of large stars with a high
functionality. By employing liquid integral equation theories we examine the
evolution of the correlation functions of the big stars upon addition of the
small ones, finding a loss of structure that can be attributed to a weakening
of the repulsions between the large stars due to the presence of the small
ones. We analyze this phenomenon be means of a generalized depletion mechanism
which is supported by computer simulations. By applying thermodynamic
perturbation theory we draw the phase diagram of the asymmetric mixture,
finding that the addition of small stars melts the crystal formed by the big
ones. A systematic comparison between the two- and effective one-component
descriptions of the mixture that corroborates the reliability of the
generalized depletion picture is also carried out.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Systematic characterization of thermodynamic and dynamical phase behavior in systems with short-ranged attraction
In this paper we demonstrate the feasibility and utility of an augmented
version of the Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo method for computing the phase
behavior of systems with strong, extremely short-ranged attractions. For
generic potential shapes, this approach allows for the investigation of
narrower attractive widths than those previously reported. Direct comparison to
previous self-consistent Ornstein-Zernike approximation calculations are made.
A preliminary investigation of out-of-equilibrium behavior is also performed.
Our results suggest that the recent observations of stable cluster phases in
systems without long-ranged repulsions are intimately related to gas-crystal
and metastable gas-liquid phase separation.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure
Stabilization of colloidal suspensions by means of highly-charged nanoparticles
We employ a novel Monte Carlo simulation scheme to elucidate the
stabilization of neutral colloidal microspheres by means of highly-charged
nanoparticles [V. Tohver et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98, 8950
(2001)]. In accordance with the experimental observations, we find that small
nanoparticle concentrations induce an effective repulsion that prevents
gelation caused by the intrinsic van der Waals attraction between colloids.
Higher nanoparticle concentrations induce an attractive potential which is,
however, qualitatively different from the regular depletion attraction. We also
show how colloid-nanoparticle size asymmetry and nanoparticle charge can be
used to manipulate the effective interactions.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters. See also S.
Karanikas and A.A. Louis, cond-mat/0411279. Updated to synchronize with
published versio
Crystallization and gelation in colloidal systems with short-ranged attractive interactions
We systematically study the relationship between equilibrium and
non-equilibrium phase diagrams of a system of short-ranged attractive colloids.
Using Monte Carlo and Brownian dynamics simulations we find a window of
enhanced crystallization that is limited at high interaction strength by a
slowing down of the dynamics and at low interaction strength by the high
nucleation barrier. We find that the crystallization is enhanced by the
metastable gas-liquid binodal by means of a two-stage crystallization process.
First, the formation of a dense liquid is observed and second the crystal
nucleates within the dense fluid. In addition, we find at low colloid packing
fractions a fluid of clusters, and at higher colloid packing fractions a
percolating network due to an arrested gas-liquid phase separation that we
identify with gelation. We find that this arrest is due to crystallization at
low interaction energy and it is caused by a slowing down of the dynamics at
high interaction strength. Likewise, we observe that the clusters which are
formed at low colloid packing fractions are crystalline at low interaction
energy, but glassy at high interaction energy. The clusters coalesce upon
encounter.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure
Reverse-selective diffusion in nanocomposite membranes
The permeability of certain polymer membranes with impenetrable
nanoinclusions increases with the particle volume fraction (Merkel et al.,
Science, 296, 2002). This intriguing observation contradicts even qualitative
expectations based on Maxwell's classical theory of conduction/diffusion in
composites with homogeneous phases. This letter presents a simple theoretical
interpretation based on classical models of diffusion and polymer physics. An
essential feature of the theory is a polymer-segment depletion layer at the
inclusion-polymer interface. The accompanying increase in free volume leads to
a significant increase in the local penetrant diffusivity, which, in turn,
increases the bulk permeability while exhibiting reverse selectivity. This
model captures the observed dependence of the bulk permeability on the
inclusion size and volume fraction, providing a straightforward connection
between membrane microstructure and performance
Entropic torque
Quantitative predictions are presented of a depletion-induced torque and
force acting on a single colloidal hard rod immersed in a solvent of hard
spheres close to a planar hard wall. This torque and force, which are entirely
of entropic origin, may play an important role for the key-lock principle,
where a biological macromolecule (the key) is only functional in a particular
orientation with respect to a cavity (the lock)
Surface-mediated attraction between colloids
We investigate the equilibrium properties of a colloidal solution in contact
with a soft interface. As a result of symmetry breaking, surface effects are
generally prevailing in confined colloidal systems. In this Letter, particular
emphasis is given to surface fluctuations and their consequences on the local
(re)organization of the suspension. It is shown that particles experience a
significant effective interaction in the vicinity of the interface. This
potential of mean force is always attractive, with range controlled by the
surface correlation length. We suggest that, under some circumstances,
surface-induced attraction may have a strong influence on the local particle
distribution
Supersaturated dispersions of rod-like viruses with added attraction
The kinetics of isotropic-nematic (I-N) and nematic-isotropic (N-I) phase
transitions in dispersions of rod-like {\it fd}-viruses are studied.
Concentration quenches were applied using pressure jumps in combination with
polarization microscopy, birefringence and turbidity measurements. The full
biphasic region could be accessed, resulting in the construction of a first
experimental analogue of the bifurcation diagram. The N-I spinodal points for
dispersions of rods with varying concentrations of depletion agents (dextran)
were obtained from orientation quenches, using cessation of shear flow in
combination with small angle light scattering. We found that the location of
the N-I spinodal point is independent of the attraction, which was confirmed by
theoretical calculations. Surprisingly, the experiments showed that also the
absolute induction time, the critical nucleus and the growth rate are
insensitive of the attraction, when the concentration is scaled to the distance
to the phase boundaries.Comment: 13 pages, 14 figures. accepted in Phsical Review
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