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Porous Liquid Phases for Indented Colloids with Depletion Interactions
Douglas J Ashton1, Robert L Jack1, Nigel B Wilding1
1Department of Physics, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom.
Physical Review Letters
|July 22, 2015
Summary
We investigated indented spherical colloids, finding that lock-and-key binding significantly alters liquid-vapor phase transitions, creating porous liquid phases with tunable structures.
Area of Science:
- Colloid science
- Soft matter physics
- Materials science
Background:
- Colloidal systems with depletion interactions exhibit liquid-vapor phase transitions.
- The interplay between specific binding and nonspecific forces influences phase behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phase behavior of indented spherical colloids with depletion interactions.
- To understand how lock-and-key binding affects phase transitions and resulting structures.
Main Methods:
- Computer simulations of colloidal particles.
- Analysis of phase diagrams and structural properties.
Main Results:
- Increased lock-and-key binding shifts the critical point to lower densities.
- The liquid phase becomes porous, featuring percolating voids.
- Phase behavior is strongly dependent on the bond network topology.
Conclusions:
- Lock-and-key interactions offer a route to control colloidal self-assembly.
- Tunable porous structures can be achieved by manipulating binding and network topology.
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