Equation of state of colloidal membranes

Balchunas, Andrew J and Cabanas, Rafael A and Zakhary, Mark J and Gibaud, Thomas and Fraden, Seth and Sharma, Prerna and Hagan, Michael F and Dogic, Zvonimir (2019) Equation of state of colloidal membranes. In: SOFT MATTER, 15 (34). pp. 6791-6802.

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Abstract

In the presence of a non-adsorbing polymer, monodisperse rod-like colloids assemble into one-rod-length thick liquid-like monolayers, called colloidal membranes. The density of the rods within a colloidal membrane is determined by a balance between the osmotic pressure exerted by the enveloping polymer suspension and the repulsion between the colloidal rods. We developed a microfluidic device for continuously observing an isolated membrane while dynamically controlling the osmotic pressure of the polymer suspension. Using this technology we measured the membrane rod density over a range of osmotic pressures than is wider that what is accessible in equilibrium samples. With increasing density we observed a first-order phase transition, in which the in-plane membrane order transforms from a 2D fluid into a 2D solid. In the limit of low osmotic pressures, we measured the rate at which individual rods evaporate from the membrane. The developed microfluidic technique could have wide applicability for in situ investigation of various soft materials and how their properties depend on the solvent composition.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	SOFT MATTER
Publisher:	ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY
Additional Information:	Copyright to this belongs to ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY
Department/Centre:	Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Physics
Date Deposited:	23 Sep 2019 10:04
Last Modified:	23 Sep 2019 10:04
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/63620

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