Phase Behavior of Thermally Responsive Microgel Colloids

Jianzhong Wu, Bo Zhou, and Zhibing Hu

Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 048304 – Published 31 January 2003

Abstract

The phase behavior of poly- $N$ -isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) nanoparticles dispersed in water is investigated using a thermodynamic perturbation theory combined with light-scattering and spectrometer measurements. It is shown how the volume transition of PNIPAM particles affects the interaction potential and determines a novel phase diagram that has not been observed in conventional colloids. Because both particle size and attractive potential depend on temperature, PNIPAM aqueous dispersion exhibits phase transitions at a fixed particle number density by either increasing or decreasing temperature.

Received 22 May 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.048304

Authors & Affiliations

Jianzhong Wu¹, Bo Zhou², and Zhibing Hu^2,*

¹Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
²Departments of Physics and Materials Science, University of North Texas, P.O. Box 311427, Denton, Texas 76203

^*Author to whom correspondence may be addressed. Electronic address: zbhu@unt.edu

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Vol. 90, Iss. 4 — 31 January 2003

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