Conference Presentation (Plenary/Keynote)

FZJ-2017-00377

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Colloidal rods as effective depletants

Lettinga, M. P. (Corresponding author)FZJ*

2016

Abstract: Colloidal rods form a very attractive alternative to polymers for the use as depletants, as they have a high excluded volume at low volume fractions. Thus, issues encountered in colloid-polymer mixtures can be prevented, such as the need of high amounts  for little effective attraction due to  surface roughness of the colloidal particle or the limited range of interactions. In this presentation I will first introduce the phase diagram of model mixtures of colloidal spheres with use fd virus, a very slender rod-like bacteriophage. I will show how the phase boundaries depend on size ratio and charge. I will apply this knowledge on mixtures of red blood cells and fd virus, addressing the question whether the formation of stacks of red blood cells is due to specific interactions or depletion. For both systems I will also discuss what happens when these systems are subjected to shear flow. Here the competition between hydrodynamic and thermodynamic interactions leads to rich non-equilibrium phase behavior.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Weiche Materie (ICS-3)

Research Program(s):

1. 551 - Functional Macromolecules and Complexes (POF3-551) (POF3-551)
2. DiStruc - Directed Colloidal Structure at the Meso-Scale (641839) (641839)

Appears in the scientific report 2016

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