Interaction with Dispersing Medium

The possibility of existence of lyophilic systems in equilibrium with macroscopic phases is determined by the nature of dispersed phase and its interaction with dispersion medium. In systems consisting of simple molecules without strong diphilic features the formation of equilibrium colloidal systems occurs only within narrow temperature range in a direct vicinity of the critical point. These systems are referred to as critical emulsions. 

While moving from the discussion of molecular interaction between condensed phases separated by a gap filled with dispersion medium to the analysis of molecular interactions between dispersed particles, it is necessary to outline that the interaction energy and force should be related to a pair of particles as whole, and not to the unit area of intermediate layer, as was done above. The interaction energy and force are not only the functions of distance between particles and the value of complex Hamaker constant, but also depend on size and shape of interacting particles. 

The energy of molecular interaction (attraction) between two particles each or radius r separated by a thin gap filled with dispersion medium is given by the expression... 

A UV-visible spectroscopic study of 3 and related substances revealed a strong solvatochromic effect, which served as the basis of the establishment of a solvent polarity scale (Buncel and Rajagopal, 1989, 1990,1991). The theoretical study of Rauhut et al. (1993) was based on AMI methodology (Dewar and Storch, 1985,1989) but used a double electrostatic reaction field in a cavity, dependent on both the relative permittivity and the refractive index. Nuclear motions interact with the medium through the relative permittivity, but electronic motions are too fast only the extreme high-frequency part of the dielectric constant is relevant. These authors were able to evaluate solvent-specific dispersion contributions to the solvation energy. The calculations reproduced satisfactorily the experimental solvatochromic results for 3 in 29 different solvents. The method has also been successfully applied to other solvatochromic dyes, including Reichardt s .j,(30) betaine. 

The existence of yield stress Y at shear strains seems to be the most typical feature of rheological properties of highly filled polymers. A formal meaing of this term is quite obvious. It means that at stresses lower than Y the material behaves like a solid, i.e. it deforms only elastically, while at stresses higher than Y, like a liquid, i.e. it can flow. At a first approximation it may be assumed that the material is not deformed at all, if stresses are lower than Y. In this sense, filled polymers behave as visco-plastic media with a low-molecular and low-viscosity dispersion medium. This analogy is not random as will be stressed below when the values of the yield stress are compared for the systems with different dispersion media. The existence of yield stress in its physical meaning must be correlated with the strength of a structure formed by the interaction between the particles of a filler. 

Though such data are ambiguous, and sometimes even contradictory [12], they can be rationally explained on the basis of qualitative considerations on intermolecular interactions of a polymer with a filler. Of practical importance is the fact that varying the nature of the dispersion medium and the filler and thus controlling the intensity of net-formation, we can vary the yield stress of filled polymers within wide limits and in different directions. 

This formula may be useful as a rheological method for determining the thickness of adsorption layer, which is formed as a result of interaction between a dispersion medium and filler, by the results of measuring the t] versus q> dependence. Especially curious phenomena, connected with surface effects, arise when a mixture of fillers of different nature is used according to concentration of an active filler the introduction of the second (inert) filler can either increase or decrease the viscosity of a multicomponent system [35],... 

A colloid is defined as a system consisting of discrete particles in the size range of 1 nm to 1 pm, distributed within a continuous phase [153], On the basis of the interaction of particles, molecules, or ions of the disperse phase with molecules of the dispersion medium-, colloidal systems can be classified as being lyophilic or lyophobic. In lyophilic systems, the disperse phase molecules are dissolved within the continuous phase and in the colloidal size range or spontaneously form aggregates in the colloidal size range (association systems). In lyophobic systems, the disperse phase is very poorly soluble or insoluble in the continuous phase. During the last several decades, the use of colloids in... 

Several factors are associated with the difficulty in assessing CNT toxicity. Among them, CNT interactions with components of the dispersing medium, the cytotoxicity assay employed, impurities, CNT surface chemistry, and dispersion state are the... 

Some of the better solvents for pure SWNTs are the amide-containing ones, like DMF or N-methylpyrrolidone, but they still do not permit full dissolution, just dispersion (Boul et al., 1999 Liu et al., 1999). The addition of surfactants to carbon nanotube suspensions can aid in their solubilization, and even permit their complete dispersion in aqueous solution. The hydro-phobic tails of surfactant molecules adsorb onto the surface of the carbon nanotube, while the hydrophilic parts permit interaction with the surrounding polar solvent medium. 

Besides temperature and addition of non-solvent, pressure can also be expected to affect the solvency of the dispersion medium for the solvated steric stabilizer. A previous analysis (3) of the effect of an applied pressure indicated that the UCFT should increase as the applied pressure increases, while the LCFT should be relatively insensitive to applied pressure. The purpose of this communication is to examine the UCFT of a nonaqueous dispersion as a function of applied pressure. For dispersions of polymer particles stabilized by polyisobutylene (PIB) and dispersed in 2-methylbutane, it was observed that the UCFT moves to higher temperatures with increasing applied pressure. These results can qualitatively be rationalized by considering the effect of pressure on the free volume dissimilarity contribution to the free energy of close approach of the interacting particles. 

Coarse-grained molecular d5mamics simulations in the presence of solvent provide insights into the effect of dispersion medium on microstructural properties of the catalyst layer. To explore the interaction of Nation and solvent in the catalyst ink mixture, simulations were performed in the presence of carbon/Pt particles, water, implicit polar solvent (with different dielectric constant e), and ionomer. Malek et al. developed the computational approach based on CGMD simulations in two steps. In the first step, groups of atoms of the distinct components were replaced by spherical beads with predefined subnanoscopic length scale. In the second step, parameters of renormalized interaction energies between the distinct beads were specified. 

Colloidal potassium has recently been proved as a more active reducer than the metal that has been conventionally powdered by shaking it in hot octane (Luche et al. 1984, Chou and You 1987, Wang et al. 1994). To prepare colloidal potassium, a piece of this metal in dry toluene or xylene under an argon atmosphere is submitted to ultrasonic irradiation at ca. 10°C. A silvery blue color rapidly develops, and in a few minutes the metal disappears. A common cleaning bath (e.g., Sono-clean, 35 kHz) filled with water and crushed ice can be used. A very fine suspension of potassium is thus obtained, which settles very slowly on standing. The same method did not work in THF (Luche et al. 1984). Ultrasonic waves interact with the metal by their cavitational effects. These effects are closely related to the physical constants of the medium, such as vapor pressure, viscosity, and surface tension (Sehgal et al. 1982). All of these factors have to be taken into account when one chooses a metal to be ultrasonically dispersed in a given solvent. 

As the particle size of the disperse phase decreases, there is a corresponding increase in the number of particles and a concomitant increase in interparticulate and interfacial interactions. Thus, in general, the viscosity of a dispersion is greater than that of the dispersion medium. This is often characterized in accordance with the classical Einstein equation for the viscosity of a dispersion. 

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