Bridging Transitions for Spheres and Cylinders.

0459542 - ÚCHP 2017 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Malijevský, Alexandr - Parry, A.O.
Bridging Transitions for Spheres and Cylinders.
Physical Review E. Roč. 92, č. 2 (2015), s. 022407. ISSN 1539-3755
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-09914S
Grant - others:EPSRC(GB) EP/J009636/1
Institutional support: RVO:67985858
Keywords : phase behaviour * bridging * density functional theory
Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry
Impact factor: 2.288, year: 2014

We study bridging transitions between spherically and cylindrically shaped particles (colloids) of radius R separated by a distance H that are dissolved in a bulk fluid (solvent). Using macroscopics, microscopic density-functional theory, and finite-size scaling theory, we study the location and order of the bridging transition and also the stability of the liquid bridges, which determines spinodal lines. The location of the bridging transitions is similar for cylinders and spheres, so that at bulk coexistence, for example, the distance H-b at which a transition between bridged and unbridged configurations occurs is proportional to the colloid radius R. However, all other aspects, particularly the stability of liquid bridges, are very different in the two systems. Thus, for cylinders the bridging transition is typically strongly first-order, while for spheres it may be first-order, critical, or rounded as determined by a critical radius R-c. The influence of thick wetting films and fluctuation effects beyond mean field are also discussed in depth.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0259722