EPSRC Reference: |
GR/L89013/01 |
Title: |
PHASE BEHAVIOUR AND STRUCTURE OF COLLOIDAL SUSPENSIONS |
Principal Investigator: |
Evans, Professor R |
Other Investigators: |
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Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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Project Partners: |
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Department: |
Physics |
Organisation: |
University of Bristol |
Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
Starts: |
01 December 1998 |
Ends: |
31 May 2001 |
Value (£): |
93,237
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EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
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EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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Related Grants: |
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Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
We propose to carry out theoretical and computer simulation investigations of the phase behaviour and structure for models of A) charge-stabilised and B) sterically stabilised colloidal suspensions using ingredients from classical density functional theory to construct effective potentials for macroparticles (colloid) in the presence of the microparticles (counterions, added salt or polymer).The aim in A) is to examine whether recent experimental observations pointing to a liquid-gas like phase separation can be accounted for by the dependence of the effective Hamiltonian on the density of the counterions. This will involve combining the classical Car-Parrinello scheme with the Gibbs ensemble simulation technique to determine phase equilibria. In B) we shall examine, by simulation, some new theories of depletion forces, i.e. we address the long-standing issue of whether the attractive (depletion) forces which arise between two large hard spheres as a result of the exclusion of small spheres are sufficient to bring about liquid-liquid phase separation in hard-sphere mixtures.What the consequences of such depletion forces are for the interpretation of structure factor measurements and phase behaviour in colloid-polymer mixtures will also be studied.
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Key Findings |
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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Impacts |
Description |
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Summary |
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Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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Project URL: |
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Further Information: |
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Organisation Website: |
http://www.bris.ac.uk |