Microrheology of the liquid-solid transition during gelation.
The viscoelastic properties of physical and chemical polymer gels are characterized through the liquid-solid transition using particle tracking microrheology. Measurements of the probe particle mean-squared displacement are shifted as the extent of gelation increases to generate master curves. From the shift factors, we determine the gel point and critical scaling exponents. Both systems exhibit a critical relaxation exponent n approximately 0.6, where G' approximately G'' approximately omega n for the incipient gel, consistent with the Rouse model of dynamic scaling in the percolation universality class.
Department of Chemical Engineering and Center for Molecular and Engineering Thermodynamics, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA.
Travis H
TH
Larsen
Eric M
EM
Furst
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008832:Microchemistry / Q000379:methods; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods*; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D000099166:Polyacrylamides
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D005782:Gels; D010455:Peptides; D000099166:Polyacrylamides