title: Interplay between spinodal decomposition and glass formation in proteins exhibiting short-range attractions.
abstract: We investigate the competition between spinodal decomposition and dynamical arrest using aqueous solutions of the globular protein lysozyme as a model system for colloids with short-range attractions. We show that quenches below a temperature Ta lead to gel formation as a result of a local arrest of the protein-dense phase during spinodal decomposition. The rheological properties of these gels allow us to use centrifugation experiments to determine the local densities of both phases and to precisely locate the gel boundary and the attractive glass line close to and within the unstable region of the phase diagram.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Fribourg, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardinaux
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gibaud
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stradner
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schurtenberger
mesh_terms: D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D003102:Colloids; D005782:Gels; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009113:Muramidase / Q000737:chemistry; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology; D012996:Solutions; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D005782:Gels; D011506:Proteins; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water; D009113:Muramidase