| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/N02870/01 |
| Title: |
OPTICAL MICROSCOPY OF COLLOIDAL PHASE TRANSITIONS |
| Principal Investigator: |
Poon, Professor W |
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| Department: |
Sch of Physics and Astronomy |
| Organisation: |
University of Edinburgh |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 November 1999 |
Ends: |
30 April 2001 |
Value (£): |
46,071
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Complex fluids & soft solids |
Condensed Matter Physics |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Model colloids, suspensions of particles of well-defined shapes and sizes, can be used to investigate generic phenomena in condensed matter physics. Thus, suspensions of spheres, under suitable conditions, show the analogues of gas, liquid and crystal phases. Moreover, colloids offer singular advantages for studying of time-dependent phenomena, such as phase transition kinetics. Thus, the typical relaxation time of colloidal particles is milliseconds or longer, so that processes such as nucleation of colloidal crystals occur at easily accessible timescales (seconds or longer). Colloids re also resolvable in visible light. Optical microscopy can therefore be used to follow processes in real time and space.In a recently completed EPSRC-funded PhD project, we have developed the use of phase and differential interference contrast light microscopy for studying structures deep within the bulk of concentrated model suspensions of nearly-hard sphere polymethylmethacrylate particles. At the end of his thesis work, the student, now an expert in this form of microscopy, observed the nucleation of crystals from a metastable colloidal fluid in real time. We propose to call on his expertise to continue in a detailed study of perhaps the simplest real-life symmetry-breaking transition, seeking to answer questions such as shape anisotropy and structure of the critical nucleus.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ed.ac.uk |