ISSN:
0392-6737
Keywords:
Colloids
;
Solubility, segregation, and mixing
;
Conference proceedings
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
Summary We review the phase behaviour of mixtures of colloids and non-adsorbing polymers. The exclusion of polymer molecules from overlapping «depletion zones» between two neighbouring colloidal particles results in an unbalanced osmotic pressure pushing the particles together. This depletion potential is separately tunable in range and depth. Theory predicts that the resulting phase behaviour is sensitive to ξ=r g/R, the ratio of the radius of gyration of a polymer molecule, to the radius of the colloid. At large ξ, a stable colloidalliquid phase becomes possible. This has been confirmed by recent experiments. The formation of non-equilibrium «transient gel» states when the size ratio is small (≈0.08) is also introduced briefly.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02458793
