Confinement-induced liquid ordering investigated by x-ray phase retrieval.
Using synchrotron x-ray diffraction, we have determined the ensemble-averaged density profile of colloidal fluids within confining channels of different widths. We observe an oscillatory ordering-disordering behavior of the colloidal particles as a function of the channel width, while the colloidal solution remains in the liquid state. This phenomenon has been suggested by surface force studies of hard-sphere fluids and also theoretically predicted, but here we see it by direct measurements of the structure for comparable systems.
Bunk
Oliver
O
Research Department Synchrotron Radiation and Nanotechnology, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland. oliver.bunk@psi.ch
Diaz
Ana
A
Pfeiffer
Franz
F
David
Christian
C
Padeste
Celestino
C
Keymeulen
Heilke
H
Willmott
Philip R
PR
Patterson
Bruce D
BD
Schmitt
Bernd
B
Satapathy
Dillip K
DK
van der Veen
J Friso
JF
Guo
Hua
H
Wegdam
Gerard H
GH