Equilibrium gels of limited valence colloids
Francesco Sciortino, Emanuela Zaccarelli
TL;DR
This review discusses equilibrium gels formed by limited valence colloids, which create stable, stress-supporting networks without phase separation, maintaining their structure over time unlike other gels.
Contribution
It provides a comprehensive overview of the formation, properties, and stability of equilibrium gels, highlighting their unique formation mechanism without phase separation.
Findings
Equilibrium gels form in density regions without phase separation.
They do not coarsen or age over time.
Limited valence controls gel stability and structure.
Abstract
Gels are low-packing arrested states of matter which are able to support stress. On cooling, limited valence colloidal particles form open networks stabilized by the progressive increase of the interparticle bond lifetime. These gels, named equilibrium gels, are the focus of this review article. Differently from other types of colloidal gels, equilibrium gels do not require an underlying phase separation to form. Oppositely, they form in a region of densities deprived of thermodynamic instabilities. Limited valence equilibrium gels neither coarsen nor age with time.
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