Abstract
HypothesisThe shape of colloidal particles affects the structure of colloidal dispersions. The effect of the cube shape on the thermodynamics of colloidal cube dispersions has not yet been studied experimentally. Static light scattering measurements on colloidal cubic silica shells at finite concentrations allows us to measure the structure factor of colloidal cube fluids and to test theoretical predictions for the equation of state of hard convex superballs. ExperimentsHollow silica nanocubes of varying concentrations in N,N,-dimethylformamide were studied with static light scattering. The structure factor was extracted from the scattering curves using experimental form factors. From this experimental structure factor, the specific density of the particles, and the osmotic compressibility were obtained. This osmotic compressibility was then compared to a theoretical equation of state of hard superballs. FindingsThe first experimental structure factors of a stable cube fluid are presented. The osmotic compressibility of the cube fluid can be described by the equation of state of a hard superball fluid, showing that silica cubes in N,N,-dimethylformamide with LiCl effectively interact as hard particles.
Highlights
Colloidal shape affects colloidal phase behaviour; both simulations [1] and experiments [2,3,4] show that various crystal⇑ Corresponding author.phases form for particles with different shapes
For large K, especially at the lowest concentrations, the curves seem to bend upward. This upward swing in the scattering curve manifests the first minimum of the form factor, expected from theory to be located within the range 4 Á 107 mÀ1 < K < 5 Á 107 mÀ1 for hollow cubes with an Rel of 125 nm [27]
The structure of dispersions of hollow silica nanocubes dispersed in N,N-dimethylformamide with LiCl, was studied employing static light scattering
Summary
Phases form for particles with different shapes. Dispersions of cubic particles exhibit rich phase behaviour upon assembly by depletion [5] or gravitational [6] forces. It was found that the formed structures depend on the shape details of the cubes [2,5,6,7]. While the crystalline phase behaviour of cubic particles has been studied [2,6], no scattering studies have yet been conducted on the structure of colloidal cubes in the fluid phase.
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