Colloidal particle system

The electrophoretic motion is either measured microscopically or by light scattering. The former way is called microelectrophoresis and usually employs ultramicroscopes when dealing with colloidal particle systems. The optical instrumentation can be identical to that of DUM, while the software has to be modified because only the displacement in the direction of the electric field is relevant. The method yields a number weighted distribution of zeta-potentials. Similar to DUM, a sufficiently large number of trajectories has to be evaluated in order to keep the statistical uncertainty within an acceptable level. Moreover, the method may be insensitive to weak scatterers within a polydisperse colloidal suspension. 

Here Fo Nc, V, T) is the free energy of the colloidal particle system without added depletant as given by (3.8) (fluid) or (3.14) (solid). 

In this chapter, the interaction in colloidal particle systems, based on the principles developed in Chapters 3 through 5, has been studied. The DLVO theory, the mainstream formalism yet employed to rationalize colloidal behavior, has been developed. The shortcomings of DLVO as well as proposed improvements or different... 

Colloidal particles can be seen as large, model atoms . In what follows we assume that particles with a typical radius <3 = lOO nm are studied, about lO times as large as atoms. Usually, the solvent is considered to be a homogeneous medium, characterized by bulk properties such as the density p and dielectric constant t. A full statistical mechanical description of the system would involve all colloid and solvent degrees of freedom, which tend to be intractable. Instead, the potential of mean force, V, is used, in which the interactions between colloidal particles are averaged over... 

The remainder of this contribution is organized as follows. In section C2.6.2, some well studied colloidal model systems are introduced. Methods for characterizing colloidal suspensions are presented in section C2.6.3. An essential starting point for understanding the behaviour of colloids is a description of the interactions between particles. Various factors contributing to these are discussed in section C2.6.4. Following on from this, theories of colloid stability and of the kinetics of aggregation are presented in section C2.6.5. Finally, section C2.6.6 is devoted to the phase behaviour of concentrated suspensions. 

The depletion picture also applies to otlier systems, such as mixtures of colloidal particles. Flowever, whereas neglecting tire interactions between polymer molecules may be reasonable, tliis cannot be done in tire general case. 

Electroultrafiltration (EUF) combines forced-flow electrophoresis (see Electroseparations,electrophoresis) with ultrafiltration to control or eliminate the gel-polarization layer (45—47). Suspended colloidal particles have electrophoretic mobilities measured by a zeta potential (see Colloids Elotation). Most naturally occurring suspensoids (eg, clay, PVC latex, and biological systems), emulsions, and protein solutes are negatively charged. Placing an electric field across an ultrafiltration membrane faciUtates transport of retained species away from the membrane surface. Thus, the retention of partially rejected solutes can be dramatically improved (see Electrodialysis). 

Major problems inherent in general applications of RO systems have to do with (1) the presence of particulate and colloidal matter in feed water, (2) precipitation of soluble salts, and (3) physical and chemical makeup of the feed water. All RO membranes can become clogged, some more readily than others. This problem is most severe for spiral-wound and hollow-fiber modules, especially when submicron and colloidal particles enter the unit (larger particulate matter can be easily removed by standard filtration methods). A similar problem is the occurrence of concentration-polarization, previously discussed for ED processes. Concentration-polarization is caused by an accumulation of solute on or near the membrane surface and results in lower flux and reduced salt rejection. 

Obviously, the theory outhned above can be applied to two- and three-dimensional systems. In the case of a two-dimensional system the Fourier transforms of the two-particle function coefficients are carried out by using an algorithm, developed by Lado [85], that preserves orthogonality. A monolayer of adsorbed colloidal particles, having a continuous distribution of diameters, has been investigated by Lado. Specific calculations have been carried out for the system with the Schulz distribution [86]... 

Colloidal suspensions are systems of small mesoscopic solid particles suspended in an atomic liquid [1,2]. We will use the term colloid a little loosely, in the sense of colloidal particle. The particles may be irregularly or regularly shaped (Fig. 1). Among the regular shapes are tiny spherical balls, but also cylindrical rods or flat platelets. As the particles are solid, fluctuations of their form do not occur as they do in micellar systems. Not all particles in a suspension will, in general, have the same form. This is an intrinsic effect of the mesoscopic physics. Of course in an atomic system, say silicon, all atoms are precisely similar. One is often interested in the con-... 

Colloidal particles experience kicks from the surrounding atoms or molecules of the solvent. This leads to Brownian dynamics in colloidal suspensions (Fig. 14). The study of dynamics is challenging as, of course, first the equilibrium of the system has to be understood. One often knows the short-time dynamics that govern the system and is interested in long-time properties. 

Short-time Brownian motion was simulated and compared with experiments [108]. The structural evolution and dynamics [109] and the translational and bond-orientational order [110] were simulated with Brownian dynamics (BD) for dense binary colloidal mixtures. The short-time dynamics was investigated through the velocity autocorrelation function [111] and an algebraic decay of velocity fluctuation in a confined liquid was found [112]. Dissipative particle dynamics [113] is an attempt to bridge the gap between atomistic and mesoscopic simulation. Colloidal adsorption was simulated with BD [114]. The hydrodynamic forces, usually friction forces, are found to be able to enhance the self-diffusion of colloidal particles [115]. A novel MC approach to the dynamics of fluids was proposed in Ref. 116. Spinodal decomposition [117] in binary fluids was simulated. BD simulations for hard spherocylinders in the isotropic [118] and in the nematic phase [119] were done. A two-site Yukawa system [120] was studied with... 

The world of colloidal particles is large and fasdnating. Basic simulation techniques rapidly lead to challenging questions and new things to be discovered. Computer simulations are close enough to experiments to allow intellectual inspiration as well as a quantitative comparison of the results. We have reviewed the basic simulation techniques and their principal implementation but could only briefly mention advanced techniques and results. A survey of the recent literature shows the variety of physical effects present in colloidal systems and accessible to computer simulations. 

Natural colloid particles in aqueous systems, such as clay particles, silica, etc. may serve as carriers of ionic species that are being sorbed on the particulates (pseudocolloids). It seems evident that the formation and transport properties of plutonium pseudocolloids can not yet be described in quantitative terms or be well predicted. This is an important area for further studies, since the pseudocolloidal transport might be the dominating plutonium migration mechanism in many environmental waters. 

---