The equilibrium colloidal crystal/colloidal liquid interface

ORAL

Abstract

We use confocal microscopy to study an equilibrated crystal-liquid interface in a colloidal suspension. The surface shows spatial fluctuations due to capillary waves. Local measurements of the structure and dynamics near the rough surface reveal that the intrinsic surface, while meandering in space, is locally sharply defined. Examining different quantities finds slightly different widths of this intrinsic surface. In terms of the particle diameter $d$, this width is either $1.3d$ (based on structural information) or $2.4d$ (based on dynamics), both not much larger than the particle size.

–

Authors

  • Eric R. Weeks

    Emory University, Physics Dept., Emory University, Department of Physics, Emory University

  • Milind Purohit

    Univ of South Carolina, Benedict College, Sc 29204, Univ. South Carolina, Benedict College, Univ South Carolina, GA Tech, Central Microscopy Research Facility, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA, Department of Chemistry, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, USA, Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, Department of Physics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, College of William \& Mary, Harvard University, Benedict College, SC 29204, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Applied Science, Bielefeld, Germany, Francis Marion University, Physics Dept., Emory University, Emory University, Formerly Emory University, currently UCLA, Physics Department, Georgia State University, Univ. of Georgia, Dept. of Chemistry, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Argentina, Pr, Dr, Derpartment of Physics, Florida A\&M University, Tallahassee, FL-32307, Department of Physics, Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Naval Research Laboratory, University of Alabama, Tsinghua University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Vanderbilt University, Jagellonian Univ., Univ. of Bonn, North Carolina A\&T State Univ., North Carolina Central Univ., Duke Univ. and TUNL, Georgia State University, Dept of Physics, Emory University, Cell Biology Department, Emory University, Physics Department, Emory University, University of South Carolina