Diffusional Growth of Colloids

TL;DR

This paper extends the Smoluchowski model of colloidal growth by incorporating particle detachment, showing that the large-time surface concentration of diffusing particles uniquely determines the detachment effect, with explicit intake rate expressions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to include particle detachment in colloidal growth models using phenomenological and exact methods, simplifying the description to a key surface concentration parameter.

Findings

Large-time surface concentration governs detachment effects.

Explicit formula for particle intake rate derived.

Detachment significantly impacts colloidal growth dynamics.

Abstract

We consider incorporation of particle detachment in Smoluchowski model of colloidal growth. Two approaches are considered, utilizing phenomenological rate equation and exact large-time results. Our main conclusion is that the value of the large-time diffusing particle concentration at the aggregate surface is the only parameter needed to describe the added effect of detachment. Explicit expression is given for the particle intake rate.