title: Polloidal chains from self-assembly of flattened particles.
abstract: Chains of micrometer-size colloidal particles have been self-assembled that are flexible, mechanically stable, and observable in optical microscopy. The chains sometimes have more than 30 particles, and we call them "polloidal chains". A key aspect of the work is the careful modeling of the interparticle forces between partially flattened polystyrene spheres. This modeling helped us to identify a narrow window of system conditions that produce interparticle physical bonds with a bond energy greater than 15kT, as well as a gap of fluid between particles that enables freely rotating bonds and flexible chains. The formation of the chains is well-modeled using linear condensation growth from classical polymer theory, suggesting that the chains might be used experimentally as large-scale, relatively slow moving models for polymer chains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, 175 Fenske Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Laura Mely
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Michaelis
authors.forename: Javier E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rosado
authors.forename: Elias K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Pabón
authors.forename: Ralph H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Colby
authors.forename: Darrell
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Velegol