Interplay between Aggregation and Coalescence of Polymeric Particles: Experimental and Modeling Insights

Area of Science:

• Polymer science
• Materials science
• Physical chemistry

Background:

• Particle aggregation and coalescence are critical processes in colloid and polymer science.
• Understanding the factors influencing these processes, such as particle softness, is essential for controlling material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the aggregation behavior of polymeric particles with varying glass transition temperatures (softnesses).
• To elucidate the interplay between aggregation and coalescence in these systems.
• To link experimental light scattering data with particle size distribution predictions using a developed model.

Main Methods:

• Monitoring the time evolution of hydrodynamic radius, gyration radius, and structure factor of particle clusters.
• Developing and utilizing a deterministic model based on population balance equations.
• Employing light scattering techniques for experimental data acquisition.

Main Results:

• The study successfully monitored the dynamic evolution of particle clusters.
• A deterministic model was developed, establishing a link between experimental data and predicted particle size distribution.
• The model, with a single adjustable parameter for coalescence time, showed good agreement with experimental results.

Conclusions:

• Polymer particle softness significantly influences aggregation and coalescence dynamics.
• The developed population balance model provides an efficient tool for analyzing particle aggregation and coalescence.
• The findings contribute to a better understanding of particle cluster formation and evolution in polymeric systems.