2002/02/28 by F. Schlesener, Schlesener, F., A. Hanke +3
Chemistry · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Adsorption, diffusion, and thermodynamic properties of materials #FOS: Physical sciences #Phase Equilibria and Thermodynamics #Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect #Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech) #cond-mat.stat-mech
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0202532
29 pages, 14 figures
arxiv created 2002/02/28 · openalex publication_date 2002/02/28 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Some time ago, Fisher and de Gennes pointed out that long-ranged correlations in a fluid close to its critical point Tc cause distinct forces between immersed colloidal particles which can even lead to flocculation [C. R. Acad. Sc. Paris B 287, 207 (1978)]. Here we calculate such forces between pairs of spherical particles as function of both relevant thermodynamic variables, i.e., the reduced temperature t = (T-Tc)/Tc and the field h conjugate to the order parameter. This provides the basis for specific predictions concerning the phase behavior of a suspension of colloidal particles in a near-critical solvent.