Reversible Thermal Gelation in Soft Spheres

M. Kapnistos; D. Vlassopoulos; G. Fytas; K. Mortensen; G. Fleischer; J. Roovers

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.4072

Reversible Thermal Gelation in Soft Spheres

M. Kapnistos, D. Vlassopoulos, G. Fytas, K. Mortensen, G. Fleischer, and J. Roovers

Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 4072 – Published 6 November 2000

Abstract

Upon heating, concentrated solutions of star polymers and block copolymer micelles in a good solvent, representing soft spheres, undergo a reversible gelation. This phenomenon is attributed to the formation of clusters causing a partial dynamic arrest of the swollen interpenetrating spheres at high temperatures. A phase diagram analogous to that of sterically stabilized colloids is proposed.

Received 27 April 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.4072

Authors & Affiliations

M. Kapnistos¹, D. Vlassopoulos¹, G. Fytas¹, K. Mortensen², G. Fleischer³, and J. Roovers⁴

¹FO.R.T.H., Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
²Riso National Laboratory, Condensed Matter Physics & Chemistry, Roskilde, Denmark
³Universitaet Leipzig, Fakultaet fuer Physik und Geowissenschaften, Leipzig, Germany
⁴NRC, Institute for Chemical Process & Environmental Technology, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada