Formation of stable clusters in colloidal suspensions

Kovalchuk, N. M.; Starov, Victor; Langston, Paul; Hilal, Nidal

doi:10.1016/j.cis.2008.11.001

Cited by 37 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 78 publications

(183 reference statements)

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“…They proposed that the depletion energy barrier exists between the clusters, thus resulting in kinetic stabilization of the clusters. The argument on the energy barrier between the clusters has also been reported in particle/polymer mixtures in polar medium, 58,59 where the depletion-flocculated clusters are stabilized by long-range electrostatic repulsive energy barrier. These studies allow us to speculate that the depletion energy barrier could be located between clusters, which may be a driving force for the observed depletion stabilization of silica/ PVA suspensions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Depletion Stabilization in Nanoparticle–Polymer Suspensions: Multi-Length-Scale Analysis of Microstructure

et al. 2015

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We study the mechanism of depletion stabilization and the resultant microstructure of aqueous suspensions of nanosized silica and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). Rheology, small-angle light scattering (SALS), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques enable us to analyze the microstructure at broad length scale from single particle size to the size of a cluster of aggregated particles. As PVA concentration increases, the microstructure evolves from bridging flocculation, steric stabilization, depletion flocculation to depletion stabilization. To our surprise, when depletion stabilization occurs, the suspension shows the stabilization at the cluster length scale, while maintaining fractal aggregates at the particle length scale. This sharply contrasts previously reported studies on the depletion stabilization of microsized particle and polymer suspensions, which exhibits the stabilization at the particle length scale. On the basis of the evaluation of depletion interaction, we propose that the depletion energy barrier exists between clusters rather than particles due to the comparable size of silica particle and the radius gyration of PVA.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Depletion Stabilization in Nanoparticle–Polymer Suspensions: Multi-Length-Scale Analysis of Microstructure

et al. 2015

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“…A developing research by the invention of a broad array of treatment technologies (precipitation, coagulation-flocculation, sedimentation, flotation, filtration, membrane processes, electrochemical techniques, biological process, chemical reactions, adsorption and ion exchange) [40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54] with varying levels of success has stimulated a dramatic progress in the scientific society. Of major interest, zeolite-mediated disinfection and destructive technology, usually oriented by its unambiguous, well-defined and mono-dispersed symmetry, has prevailed to be the most privileged fundamental approach in wastewater purification and detoxification processes [55].…”

Section: Inherent Drawbacks Of the Zeolite Accommodated Processes Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

The environmental applications of activated carbon/zeolite composite materials

Foo

Hameed

2011

Advances in Colloid and Interface Science

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“…Simulations show that model particles form clusters in crowded conditions (Figure 2A) [24]. Cluster formation is observed quite commonly in colloidal systems [25], and the concentration of protein in clusters formed in a crowded solution may reach up to ∼700 mg/ml [26] (Figure 2B). The formation of compartments can also be regarded as phase separation, where entropic attractions in a mixture of macromolecules result in expulsion of one component as a separate phase [27].…”

Section: Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2001) (D)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Structures and functions in the crowded nucleus: new biophysical insights

Hancock

2014

Front. Phys.

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Concepts and methods from the physical sciences have catalyzed remarkable progress in understanding the cell nucleus in recent years. To share this excitement with physicists and encourage their interest in this field, this review offers an overview of how the physics which underlies structures and functions in the nucleus is becoming more clear thanks to methods which have been developed to simulate and study macromolecules, polymers, and colloids. The environment in the nucleus is very crowded with macromolecules, making entropic (depletion) forces major determinants of interactions. Simulation and experiments are consistent with their key role in forming membraneless compartments such as nucleoli, PML and Cajal bodies, and discrete "territories" for chromosomes. The chromosomes, giant linear polyelectrolyte polymers, exist in vivo in a state like a polymer melt. Looped conformations are predicted in crowded conditions, and have been confirmed experimentally and are central to the regulation of gene expression. Polymer theory has revealed how the chromosomes are so highly compacted in the nucleus, forming a "crumpled globule" with fractal properties which avoids knots and entanglements in DNA while allowing facile accessibility for its replication and transcription. Entropic repulsion between looped polymers can explain the confinement of each chromosome to a discrete region of the nucleus. Crowding and looping are predicted to facilitate finding the specific targets of factors which modulate activities of DNA. Simulation shows that entropic effects contribute to finding and repairing potentially lethal double-strand breaks in DNA by increasing the mobility of the broken ends, favoring their juxtaposition for repair. Signaling pathways are strongly influenced by crowding, which favors a processive mode of response (consecutive reactions without releasing substrates). This new information contributes to understanding the sometimes counter-intuitive consequences and the evolutionary advantages of a crowded environment in the nucleus.

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Formation of stable clusters in colloidal suspensions

Cited by 37 publications

References 78 publications

Depletion Stabilization in Nanoparticle–Polymer Suspensions: Multi-Length-Scale Analysis of Microstructure

Depletion Stabilization in Nanoparticle–Polymer Suspensions: Multi-Length-Scale Analysis of Microstructure

The environmental applications of activated carbon/zeolite composite materials

Structures and functions in the crowded nucleus: new biophysical insights

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