Crystallization kinetics of charged PNIPAM microgels dispersions at low volume fractions

J. Bocanegra-Flores; C. Haro-Pérez; D. Reyes-Contreras; L. F. Rojas-Ochoa

doi:10.3389/fphy.2022.988903

Frontiers in Physics (Sep 2022)

Crystallization kinetics of charged PNIPAM microgels dispersions at low volume fractions

J. Bocanegra-Flores,
C. Haro-Pérez,
D. Reyes-Contreras,
L. F. Rojas-Ochoa

Affiliations

J. Bocanegra-Flores: Departamento de Física, CINVESTAV-IPN, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, Mexico City, Mexico
C. Haro-Pérez: Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Azcapotzalco, Mexico City, Mexico
D. Reyes-Contreras: Facultad de Ciencias, Campus El Cerrillo, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico
L. F. Rojas-Ochoa: Departamento de Física, CINVESTAV-IPN, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, Mexico City, Mexico

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2022.988903
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10

Abstract

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This work studies the kinetics of crystallization of charged microgels suspensions of Poly-N-Isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) at low ionic strength. The liquid-crystal transition is induced by suddenly decreasing the temperature of the microgel dispersion, and the crystallization process is monitored by measuring the temporal evolution of the static structure factor of the dispersion using light scattering. We find that the crystal growth rate, indicated by the temporal evolution of the crystallinity factor, strongly depends on the quenching temperature.

Published in Frontiers in Physics

ISSN: 2296-424X (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Physics
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physics

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