Alternating strings and clusters in suspensions of charged colloids

Abstract

We report the formation of alternating strings and clusters in a binary suspension of repulsive charged colloids with double layers larger than the particle size. Within a binary cell model we include many-body and charge-regulation effects under the assumption of a constant surface potential, and consider their repercussions on the two-particle interaction potential. We find that the formation of induced dipoles close to a charge-reversed state may explain the formation of these structures. Finally, we will touch upon the formation of dumbbells and small clusters in a one-component system, where the effective electrostatic interaction is always repulsive.

12+1 pages, 9 figures, 1 supplementary figure and 5 supplementary movies, V2: Improved discussions and figures

References in corpus (6)

• Phase behavior of a fluid with competing attractive and repulsive interactions
• Dielectric effects in the self-assembly of binary colloidal aggregates
• Nonlinear screening and gas-liquid separation in suspensions of charged colloids
• The polydisperse cell model: Non-linear screening and charge renormalization in colloidal mixtures
• Electrostatic Interactions between Janus Particles
• Density-induced reentrant melting of colloidal Wigner crystals

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Charge symmetry broken complex coacervation
• Anisotropic electrostatic screening of charged colloids in nematic solvents
• Topological-defect-induced surface charge heterogeneities in nematic electrolytes
• Charge-, salt- and flexoelectricity-driven anchoring effects in nematics
• Screened Coulomb interactions of general macroions with nonzero particle volume
• Realisation of the Brazil-nut effect in charged colloids without external driving