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.
Larsen
Travis H
TH
Department of Chemical Engineering and Center for Molecular and Engineering Thermodynamics, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA.
Furst
Eric M
EM
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