Spinodal decomposition in a model colloid-polymer mixture in microgravity.
We study phase separation in a deeply quenched colloid-polymer mixture in microgravity on the International Space Station using small-angle light scattering and direct imaging. We observe a clear crossover from early-stage spinodal decomposition to late-stage, interfacial-tension-driven coarsening. Data acquired over 5 orders of magnitude in time show more than 3 orders of magnitude increase in domain size, following nearly the same evolution as that in binary liquid mixtures. The late-stage growth approaches the expected linear growth rate quite slowly.
Bailey
A E
AE
Dept. of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
Poon
W C K
WC
Christianson
R J
RJ
Schofield
A B
AB
Gasser
U
U
Prasad
V
V
Manley
S
S
Segre
P N
PN
Cipelletti
L
L
Meyer
W V
WV
Doherty
M P
MP
Sankaran
S
S
Jankovsky
A L
AL
Shiley
W L
WL
Bowen
J P
JP
Eggers
J C
JC
Kurta
C
C
Lorik
T
T
Pusey
P N
PN
Weitz
D A
DA