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Formation of lamellar structures from spherical particles.
1Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521-0444, USA. lizhidong99@hotmail.com
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|May 2, 2009
Summary
We found that a lamellar phase, with alternating dense and sparse particle layers, can be more stable than a disordered phase in colloidal systems. This ordered structure may prevent fluid-fluid phase separation.
Area of Science:
- Colloid science
- Soft matter physics
- Materials science
Background:
- Colloidal dispersions and protein solutions can form clusters or microscopic phases.
- Understanding phase transitions in these systems is crucial for various applications.
- Interparticle forces, including attraction and repulsion, govern system behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the disorder-lamellar transition in a model system of spherically symmetric particles.
- To determine the thermodynamic stability of lamellar phases compared to disordered phases.
- To explore the influence of particle density on lamellar structure.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a non-mean-field density functional theory.
- Modeling interparticle interactions with short-range attraction and long-range repulsion.
- Analyzing particle density and layer thickness effects on phase stability.
Main Results:
- A lamellar phase is predicted to be thermodynamically more stable than a disordered phase under specific conditions.
- The formation of lamellar structures can inhibit macroscopic fluid-fluid phase transitions.
- Layer widths vary with overall particle density; condensed layers thicken, dilute layers thin.
- Minimal lamellar periodicity occurs when condensed and dilute layers have similar thicknesses.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates the possibility of a disorder-lamellar transition driven by interparticle forces.
- Lamellar ordering can act as a mechanism to suppress phase separation in colloidal systems.
- Density functional theory provides a powerful tool for predicting phase behavior in complex fluids.
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