The physics of microgels and other soft colloids

Summary

Transitions where a material goes from a fluid state to an arrested but still disordered state arise in a diverse range of systems (colloidal dispersions, molecular or polymeric fluids, granular systems, emulsions, foams, pastes, and biological cells). Colloidal dispersions made from soft elastic microgels provide an excellent model system for such behaviour and are also industrially highly important. Microgels are used in applications including biosensing and medical diagnostics, in pharmaceutical delivery systems and switchable materials and are regularly used to control the rheological properties of industrial products such as paints, motor oils, foods, cosmetics and inks. Many applications of microgels are based on highly crowded states, but we presently have little understanding of the rich and fascinating behaviour that takes place in the packing of such soft colloids. This project is aimed at directly addressing key fundamental aspects of the physics of microgel dispersions where important open questions include how the motions of the microgel particles are correlated in time and space, how the motions, arrangements and rheology are affected by the individual microgel particle shape, elasticity (heterogeneity) and by the inter-particle interactions. An important component of the project is the use of the 3D-photon correlation light scattering set-up in Leeds, which will be combined with other light scattering techniques, microscopy and rheology as well as colloidal synthesis techniques to provide a full characterisation and control of these experimental systems

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