Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Colloidal State

The Colloidal State

The formation of a colloidal system is exemplified by an aqueous solution containing Cl− ions is introduced to another containing Ag+ ions, resulting in the precipitation of solid AgCl as extremely tiny crystals. Instead of settling out as a filterable precipitate, these crystals remain suspended in the liquid, showcasing a colloidal system.A colloidal system involves colloidal particles within the approximate range of 1 to 1000 nm in at least one dimension, dispersed in a medium called the...

Colloids and Suspensions

Colloids and Suspensions

Children at play often make suspensions such as mixtures of mud and water, flour and water, or a suspension of solid pigments in water known as tempera paint. These suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures composed of relatively large particles visible to the naked eye or seen with a magnifying glass. They are cloudy, and the suspended particles settle out after mixing. The suspended particles in a suspension settle out after some time of mixing. The separation of particles from a suspension is...

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...

Fluid Mosaic Model

Fluid Mosaic Model

The fluid mosaic model was first proposed as a visual representation of research observations. The model comprises the composition and dynamics of membranes and serves as a foundation for future membrane-related studies. The model depicts the structure of the plasma membrane with a variety of components, which include phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These integral molecules are loosely bound, defining the cell’s border and providing fluidity for optimal function.LipidsThe most...

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Ziegler–Natta polymerization is another form of addition or chain‐growth polymerization used for synthesizing linear polymers over branched polymers. The catalyst used for polymerization is the Ziegler–Natta catalyst, named after Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta, who developed it in 1953. This catalyst is an organometallic complex of titanium tetrachloride and triethyl aluminum, with the active form of the catalyst being an alkyl titanium compound. Using the Ziegler–Natta catalyst, high molecular...

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

For any given polymer, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is higher than, if not equal to, the number average molecular weight (Mn). The only situation in which the weight average molecular weight and the number average molecular weight are equal is when a polymer consists only of chains with equal molecular weight. However, this never happens in a synthetic polymer, since it is difficult to control the polymerization process up to a molecular level with accuracy to a hundred percent.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Hierarchical dynamics and time-length scale superposition in glassy suspensions of ultra-low crosslinked microgels.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026

Same author

Decoupling Structure and Elasticity in Colloidal Gels Under Isotropic Compression.

Physical review letters·2026

Same author

Influence of mechanical properties of agarose hydrogels on bacterial growth and secretory activity.

Biomaterials advances·2025

Same author

Probing microscopic dynamics in a uni-axially strained polymer network with light scattering.

Soft matter·2025

Same author

Propagation of extended fractures by local nucleation and rapid transverse expansion of crack-front distortion.

Nature physics·2024

Same author

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microgel swelling behavior and suspension structure studied with small-angle neutron scattering.

Physical review. E·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Published on: May 20, 2014

Spinodal decomposition in a model colloid-polymer mixture in microgravity.

A E Bailey¹, W C K Poon, R J Christianson

¹Dept. of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.

Physical Review Letters

|February 1, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

We observed phase separation in colloid-polymer mixtures in microgravity. The study shows a crossover from spinodal decomposition to coarsening, with domain size increasing over time.

More Related Videos

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets

Published on: August 13, 2016

Controlled Synthesis and Fluorescence Tracking of Highly Uniform Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Microgels

Controlled Synthesis and Fluorescence Tracking of Highly Uniform Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Microgels

Published on: September 8, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Published on: May 20, 2014

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets

Published on: August 13, 2016

Controlled Synthesis and Fluorescence Tracking of Highly Uniform Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Microgels

Controlled Synthesis and Fluorescence Tracking of Highly Uniform Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Microgels

Published on: September 8, 2016

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Soft Matter Physics
Fluid Dynamics

Background:

Phase separation is crucial in materials science.
Understanding colloid-polymer mixtures is key for developing new materials.
Microgravity environments offer unique conditions for studying phase transitions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate phase separation dynamics in colloid-polymer mixtures under microgravity.
To analyze the transition from early-stage spinodal decomposition to late-stage coarsening.
To compare microgravity results with those obtained in Earth's gravity.

Main Methods:

Utilizing small-angle light scattering (SALS) for analyzing structure evolution.
Employing direct imaging for visual confirmation of phase separation.
Conducting experiments in microgravity aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Main Results:

Observed a clear crossover from spinodal decomposition to interfacial-tension-driven coarsening.
Documented domain size growth over 5 orders of magnitude in time.
Demonstrated that the evolution closely mirrors that of binary liquid mixtures.

Conclusions:

Microgravity facilitates the study of fundamental phase separation processes.
The observed dynamics are consistent with established theories of phase separation.
Further research can explore the slow approach to linear growth in late-stage coarsening.