title: Equation of state of colloids coated by polyelectrolyte multilayers.
abstract: We propose an adaptation of the osmotic stress technique for determining equations of state of colloids covered by polymer films. We describe here the case of silica particles covered by 6 or 7 layers of polyelectrolyte multilayers. The establishment of a pressure-distance curve allows the interpretation of colloidal interactions over more than four orders of magnitude in pressure. This large range allows a clear separation between three distinct regimes: layer compression, brush extension and at very low pressures a regime of weak repulsion. The physical origins of the regimes are discussed and described by models of colloidal interactions.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, D-14424 Potsdam/Golm, Germany.
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schönhoff
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meister
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Belloni
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zemb
authors.forename: Helmuth
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Möhwald