Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 6, 2026

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures
Published on: May 20, 2014
How colloid-colloid interactions and hydrodynamic effects influence the percolation threshold: A simulation study in
Aleena Maria Laganapan1, Mohamed Mouas1, Arnaud Videcoq1
1SPCTS, UMR 7315, ENSCI, CNRS, Centre Européen de la Céramique, 12 rue Atlantis, 87068 Limoges cedex, France.
Abstract:
The percolation behavior of alumina suspensions is studied by computer simulations. The percolation threshold ϕc is calculated, determining the key factors that affect its magnitude: the strength of colloid-colloid attraction and the presence of hydrodynamic interactions (HIs). To isolate the effects of HIs, we compare the results of Brownian Dynamics, which do not include hydrodynamics, with those of Stochastic Rotation Dynamics-Molecular Dynamics, which include hydrodynamics. Our results show that ϕc decreases with the increase of the attraction between the colloids. The inclusion of HIs always leads to more elongated structures during the aggregation process, producing a sizable decrease of ϕc when the colloid-colloid attraction is not too strong. On the other hand, the effects of HIs on ϕc tend to become negligible with increasing attraction strength. Our ϕc values are in good agreement with those estimated by the yield stress model by Flatt and Bowen.
Related Concept Videos
Colloidal precipitates
The Colloidal State
Colloids
Coagulation
Colloids and Suspensions
Precipitate Formation and Particle Size Control
The obtained precipitate should be either a pure substance of known composition or easily converted to one by a simple process, such as ignition or drying. In addition, the precipitate should be insoluble and easily filterable. In general, filterability...

