Controlling structure of materials derived from spinodally decomposing liquids

Abstract

Arresting morphological evolution of spinodally decomposing heterogeneous mixtures via the addition of colloidal particles has resulted in the discovery of new classes of bicontinuous materials, viz., bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion gels (bijels) and most recently bicontinuous intraphase jammed emulsion gels (bipjels). Here, we demonstrate how the extent of particle wettability and particle–particle interactions govern the ultimate structure formed. We present the multi-phase lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) integrated with a discrete particle model with two particle–particle collision models, the classic hard-sphere model and a new bonding collision model, to predict the final state of spinodally decomposing fluid mixtures containing solid particles. We show that the elastic collision model yields either the formation of emulsions or bijels, while only the bonding collision model on particles with preferential wettability for one phase can predict bipjels formation. In the case of bipjels, a delicate balance between the dynamics of evolving interface and the strength of particle–particle aggregates is required to restrict the interfacial motion. These results are consistent with experimental findings, suggesting that the presence of smaller particles with high particle–particle interactions can yield the formation of bipjels and consequent isolation of hierarchically porous materials.