Journal
ADVANCES IN COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
Volume 167, Issue 1-2, Pages 12-23Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2011.06.007
Keywords
Anisotropic domains; Depolarized scattering; Gravity; Depolarization ratio; Coacervation
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Funding
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India
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In this review, the generalized domain growth in a coacervating solution is discussed. Associative electrostatic interaction between nanoclay (Laponite) and gelatin-A (a polyelectrolyte) is shown to drive complex coacervation at room temperature (25 degrees C). Phase separation kinetics, leading to spontaneous coacervation transition occurring below spinodal temperature (315 K) was studied by depolarized dynamic light scattering. Depolarization and axial ratio data clearly revealed that the domains formed of soluble complexes undergo time-dependent anisotropic growth during the initial period of phase separation (t<500 s). The equatorial axis of these domains was observed to grow following a power-law behavior: a(t)similar to t(beta) and beta=0.25 +/- 0.04 independent of quench depth that was not deep. In contrast, the polar axis shrunk with time following: b(t)similar to t(-delta) and delta=0.15 +/- 0.05 independent of quench depth. These domains preferentially grew as oblate ellipsoids during this time. Effect of gravity on domain growth was not observed in our experiments. These results answer the basic issue of binding between discotic colloidal particles and polyelectrolytes in dispersion phase and the resultant phase separation kinetics. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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