Confinement-induced fluid-gel transition in polymeric solutions.
The viscoelastic properties of confined polymer solutions are probed by particle-tracking microrheology. The mean squared displacement of spherical probe particles embedded in the solution and the storage and loss moduli of the system are measured as the level of confinement is increased. It is found that those quantities change continuously as the confinement increases, and, at severe conditions, when the constrain reaches the size of the polymer molecule, the system undergoes a transition from a viscoelastic fluid to a gel.
Haro-Pérez
Catalina
C
Instituto de Fisica Manuel Sandoval Vallarta, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Alvaro Obregon 64, 78000 San Luis Potosi, S.L.P., Mexico.
García-Castillo
Andrés
A
Arauz-Lara
José Luis
JL
D004548:Elasticity; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D014783:Viscosity
D005782:Gels; D011108:Polymers; D012996:Solutions