Effect of controlled corrugation on capillary condensation of colloid-polymer mixtures

TL;DR

This study uses Monte Carlo simulations to explore how controlled surface corrugation influences capillary condensation in colloid-polymer mixtures, revealing that increased corrugation amplifies condensation effects and involves complex phase behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a model linking surface corrugation to capillary condensation, deriving a Kelvin equation, and analyzing phase transitions in confined colloid-polymer systems.

Findings

Increased corrugation amplitude enlarges the capillary condensation region.

Good agreement between Kelvin equation predictions and simulation results.

Identification of a metastable phase during dimensional crossover.

Abstract

We investigate with Monte Carlo computer simulations the capillary phase behaviour of model colloid-polymer mixtures confined between a flat wall and a corrugated wall. The corrugation is modelled via a sine wave as a function of one of the in-plane coordinates leading to a depletion attraction between colloids and the corrugated wall that is curvature dependent. We find that for increased amplitude of corrugation the region of the phase diagram where capillary condensation occurs becomes larger. We derive a Kelvin equation for this system and compare its predictions to the simulation results. We find good agreement between theory and simulation indicating that the primary reason for the stronger capillary condensation is an increased contact area between the fluid and the corrugated substrate. On the other hand, the colloid adsorption curves at colloid gas-liquid coexistence show that the increased area is not solely responsible for the stronger capillary condensation. Additionally, we analyse the dimensional crossover from a quasi-2D to a quasi-1D system and find that the transition is characterised by the appearance of a metastable phase.