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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/K56025/01
Title: DYNAMICS AND PHASE TRANSITION KINETICS IN COMPLEX FLUIDS
Principal Investigator: Pusey, Professor P
Other Investigators:
Poon, Professor W Cates, Professor M
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Unilever
Department: Sch of Physics and Astronomy
Organisation: University of Edinburgh
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 November 1995 Ends: 30 April 1999 Value (£): 312,238
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Complex fluids & soft solids Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Manufacturing Chemicals
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The project will involve experimental and theoretical studies of particle dynamics, phase separation kinetics and rheology, in a model colloid-polymer mixture. Experimental techniques will include direct microscopic observation in which 3-D images are automatically constructed from 2-D slices, static and dynamic light scattering, and rheometry. Two main themes will be emphasised. First the mechanisms and kinetics of the separation of the mixtures into regions of both two-phase (colloidal fluid + colloidal crystal or colloidal gas + colloidal liquid) and three-phase (colloidal gas + liquid + crystal) co-existence will be studied. Theoretically the challenge is to understand phase separation in the presence of competing processes, eg gas-liquid separation and crystallisation. Another emphasis will be on understanding long-lived metastable gels states of colloid-polymer mixtures which temporarily arrest phase separation. Second, a recently suggested connection between particle dynamics, measured by light scattering, and frequency-dependent rheology will be investigated and, hopefully established.
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Organisation Website: http://www.ed.ac.uk