Interactions between Colloids Induced by a Soft Cross-Linked Polymer Substrate

Lorenzo Di Michele, Taiki Yanagishima, Anthony R. Brewer, Jurij Kotar, Erika Eiser, and Seth Fraden
Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 136101 – Published 19 September 2011

Abstract

Using videomicroscopy imaging, we demonstrate the existence of a short-ranged equilibrium attraction between heavy silica colloids diffusing on soft surfaces of cross-linked polymer gels. The intercolloid potential can be tuned by changing the gel stiffness or by coating the colloids with a polymer layer. On sufficiently soft substrates, the interaction induced by the polymer matrix leads to large-scale colloidal aggregation. We correlate the in-plane interaction with a colloid-surface attraction.

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  • Received 22 June 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.136101

© 2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Lorenzo Di Michele, Taiki Yanagishima, Anthony R. Brewer, Jurij Kotar, and Erika Eiser*

  • Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE United Kingdom

Seth Fraden

  • Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, USA

  • *ee247@cam.ac.uk

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Issue

Vol. 107, Iss. 13 — 23 September 2011

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