Equilibrium cluster formation and gelation

Abstract

We study the formation and growth of equilibrium clusters in a suspension of weakly-charged colloidal particles and small non-adsorbing polymers. The effective potential is characterised by a short-range attraction and a long-range repulsion. The size, shape and local structure of the clusters are studied using three-dimensional particle microscopy. We observe a rapid growth in the mean cluster size and the average number of nearest neighbours approaching the gel boundary.

References in corpus (2)

• Equilibrium cluster phases and low-density arrested disordered states: The role of short-range attraction and long-range repulsion
• Dynamical Arrest in Attractive Colloids: The Effect of Long-Range Repulsion

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• Self-assembly of Colloids with Competing Interactions Confined in Spheres