Multiphase Coexistence in Binary Hard Colloidal Mixtures: Predictions from a Simple Algebraic Theory

J. Opdam, V.F.D. Peters, H.H. Wensink, R. Tuinier

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

A general theoretical framework is proposed to quantify the thermodynamic properties of multicomponent hard colloidal mixtures. This framework is used to predict the phase behavior of mixtures of rods with spheres and rods with plates taking into account (liquid) crystal phases of both components. We demonstrate a rich and complex range of phase behaviors featuring a large variety of different multiphase coexistence regions, including two five-phase coexistence regions for hard rod/sphere mixtures, and even a six-phase equilibrium for hard rod/plate dispersions. The various multiphase coexistences featured in a particular mixture are in line with a recently proposed generalized phase rule and can be tuned through subtle variations of the particle shape and size ratio. Our approach qualitatively accounts for certain multiphase equilibria observed in rod/plate mixtures of clay colloids and will be a useful guide in tuning the phase behavior of shape-disperse mixtures in general. © 2023 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)199-206
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Physical Chemistry Letters
Volume14
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 12 Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

Export Date: 18 August 2023; Cited By: 2; Correspondence Address: R. Tuinier; Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Netherlands; email: [email protected]

Funding Information:
J.O. and R.T. acknowledge financial support from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs of The Netherlands via the Top Consortium for Knowledge and Innovation (TKI) roadmap Chemistry of Advanced Materials (Grant CHEMIE.PGT.2018.006).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Phase equilibria
  • Sols
  • Thermodynamic properties
  • Algebraic theories
  • Colloidal mixtures
  • Hard rods
  • Liquid crystal phase
  • Liquid crystal phasis
  • Multicomponents
  • Multiphase coexistence
  • Simple++
  • Theoretical framework
  • Thermodynamics property
  • article
  • colloid
  • particle size
  • prediction
  • Binary mixtures

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