Crystal structure of highly concentrated, ionic microgel suspensions studied by small-angle x-ray scattering

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2010 May;81(5 Pt 1):052401. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.81.052401. Epub 2010 May 3.

Abstract

We present a small-angle x-ray scattering study of the crystal structure formed by pH -sensitive poly(2-vinylpyridine) microgel particles with 5 wt % of cross-linker. We focus on highly swollen particles and explore concentrations ranging from below close packing to well above close packing, where the particles are forced to shrink and/or interpenetrate. The crystal structure found from poly- as well as monocrystalline domains is random hexagonally close packed, as also observed in hard spheres.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / chemistry
  • Crystallization
  • Crystallography, X-Ray / methods*
  • Equipment Design
  • Gels
  • Models, Statistical
  • Particle Size
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Pressure
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • X-Rays

Substances

  • Cross-Linking Reagents
  • Gels
  • Polymers