The rheological behavior of concentrated colloidal dispersions

The rheological behavior of concentrated colloidal dispersions

A simple model for the rheological behavior of concentrated colloidal dispersions is developed. For a suspension of Brownian hard spheres there are two contributions to the macroscopic stress: a hydrodynamic and a Brownian stress. For small departures from equilibrium, the hydrodynamic contribution is purely dissipative and gives the high-frequency dynamic viscosity. The Brownian contribution h...

Thermosensitive core-shell particles as model systems for studying the flow behavior of concentrated colloidal dispersions.

We report on a comprehensive investigation of the flow behavior of colloidal thermosensitive core-shell particles at high densities. The particles consist of a solid core of poly(styrene) onto which a network of cross-linked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) is affixed. Immersed in water the shell of these particles will swell if the temperature is low. Raising the temperature above 32 degrees C lead...

Phase and rheological behavior of high-concentration colloidal hard-sphere and protein dispersions.

Colloidal hard-sphere (HS) particles of narrow-size distribution exhibit crystalline and glassy states beginning at the particle volume fractions phi = 0.494 and phi(G) = 0.58, respectively. Dynamic rheological data on the dispersions were strongly modified to solid-like behavior as phi approached phi(G). In addition, cooperative motion in structural relaxation has been observed microscopically...

Local transient rheological behavior of concentrated suspensions

Jamming and unjamming of concentrated colloidal dispersions in channel flows†

We investigated the pressure driven flow of concentrated colloidal dispersions in a converging channel geometry. Optical microscopy and image analysis were used to track tracer particles mixed into dispersions of sterically stabilized poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) spheres. The dispersions were drawn into a round 0.5 mm capillary at one of two pump speeds (^ applied pressure): v1 1⁄4 0.245 ml...