Mean Field Theory of Crystalline Ordering in Colloidal Solutions (Condensed Matter: Structure, Mechanical and Thermal Properties)

概要

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A mean field model is introduced to describe phase separations and crystalline ordering in colloidal solutions. We introduce translational order parameters for crystalline ordering of cubic crystals. Combining a modified-Flory-Huggins theory for colloidal solutions with a translational order parameter of a face-centered-cubic structure for colloidal crystals, we derive a free energy, which is given by one conserved order parameter (concentration) and one nonconserved order parameter (translational order parameter of colloids). We calculate the phase diagrams of colloidal solutions on the temperature-concentration plane and find a metastable liquid-liquid, liquid-solid, solid-solid phase separation, and triple point, which can be defined by the translational order parameter and concentration. Depending on the size of a colloid and the strength of an attractive interaction between colloids, the theory presented successfully describes the features of the phase diagrams observed in a wide variety of colloidal systems. We also compare our theory with the experimental phase diagram of lens protein solutions.
社団法人日本物理学会の論文
2006-03-15