title: Size selectivity in the confined ternary colloidal mixtures: the depletion in the competition.
abstract: Based on classical density functional theory, we study the size selectivity for ternary colloidal mixtures in the presence of a Gauss barrier. The competition between the external potential and the depletion potential is also investigated. The effects of bulk fraction of each species, the size asymmetry, and the strength and width of the Gauss barrier on the selectivity of the big species are calculated and analyzed in detail. The results in different conditions of bulk fraction suggest that the larger the bulk fraction for the small species, the stronger selectivity of big particles. On the contrary, increase of bulk fraction for the big species leads to a reduction in selectivity. In addition, results under different conditions of size asymmetry suggest that the medium particles can also be selected by the Gauss barrier when they are sufficiently large in comparison to the small particles. We also demonstrate the effect of barrier geometry on the selectivity of the big species and the competition between the depletion and the external potential.
authors.affiliation: Science and Technology College, North China Electric Power University , Baoding, 071051, China.
authors.forename: Zongli
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yanshuang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Yanmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000737:chemistry; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010316:Particle Size; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D045424:Complex Mixtures