Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2025

Controlled Synthesis and Fluorescence Tracking of Highly Uniform PolyN-isopropylacrylamide Microgels
Published on: September 8, 2016
Understanding polymer-colloid gels: a solvent perspective using low-field NMR
Léo Hervéou1,2, Gauthier Legrand2, Thibaut Divoux2
1INSA Lyon, UCBL, CNRS, MATEIS, UMR5510, 69621, Villeurbanne, France. guilhem.baeza@insa-lyon.fr.
Abstract:
The present work emphasizes the relevance of low-field NMR relaxometry to investigate colloid-polymer hydrogels by probing water dynamics across a wide range of formulations between 10 °C and 80 °C. By examining the temperature dependence of the transverse relaxation time T2, we demonstrate a clear link between the NMR response and the rheological behavior of the hydrogels. In particular, we show that NMR relaxometry targeting the solvent provides reliable insights into the hydrogel microstructure and allows the detection of phase transitions and aging processes. Our findings suggest that this solvent-focused technique could greatly benefit the soft matter community, complementing other experimental methods in the study of gels.
Related Concept Videos
Colloids
Solubility
A solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of a solvent, the major component, and a solute, the minor component. The physical state of a solution—solid, liquid, or gas—is typically the same as that of the solvent. Solute concentrations are often described with qualitative terms such as dilute (of relatively low concentration) and concentrated (of relatively high concentration).
In a solution, the solute particles (molecules,...
Colloids and Suspensions
Molecular Shape and Polarity
Colloidal precipitates

