Charge and Synthesis Modification in PMMA-PDMS Copolymer Model Colloids

TL;DR

This paper investigates the charge behavior of PMMA-PDMS copolymer colloids in non-polar media, revealing that surfactant chemistry influences colloidal charge and stability, which is less understood compared to aqueous systems.

Contribution

It demonstrates that surfactant chemistry affects colloidal charge in non-polar media, providing new insights into electrostatic interactions in such systems.

Findings

Charge is influenced by surfactant chemistry.

Electrostatic interactions are heavily screened in non-polar media.

Steric stabilizer's chemistry plays a key role in colloid behavior.

Abstract

Colloidal charge in non-polar media is less well understood than its aqueous counterpart and due to van der Waals forces its study is particularly challenging in highly confined systems, for which on the other hand large long-range electrostatic repulsions are heavily screened in aqueous media. Evidence from videomicroscopy is presented that a model system governed with surfactant-mediated charging is governed by the steric stabilizer's specific chemistry.