Sedimentation and diffusion in an experimental hard-sphere-plus-dipolar colloidal system

Newman, Hugh D. (2013) Sedimentation and diffusion in an experimental hard-sphere-plus-dipolar colloidal system. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (10MB)

Abstract

Laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to image a thin sediment of a Brownian colloidal suspension of PMMA spheres in a decalin/TCE solvent. The sediment is imaged in its entirety in 3-dimensions, as well as with 2-dimensional time-series captured incrementally throughout the sediment. The structure and dynamics are analysed and compared to a hard-sphere system. AC electric fields are applied parallel to gravity to attempt to induce a dipolar interaction in the colloidal spheres. If the system is confirmed to be hard-sphere like, then this allows comparison of the system with applied fields to a hard-sphere-plus-dipolar system.

Actions (login required)

View Item