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Published on: December 2, 2022
Elasticity and critical bending moment of model colloidal aggregates
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Colburn Laboratory, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
Abstract:
The bending mechanics of singly bonded colloidal aggregates are measured using laser tweezers. We find that the colloidal bonds are capable of supporting significant torques, providing a direct measurement of the tangential interactions between particles. A critical bending moment marks the limit of linear bending elasticity, past which small-scale rearrangements occur. These mechanical properties underlie the rheology and dynamics of colloidal gels formed by diffusion-limited cluster aggregation, and give critical insight into the contact interactions between Brownian particles.
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