Spinodal decomposition in a semidilute suspension of rodlike macromolecules

Nematic-isotropic spinodal decomposition kinetics of rodlike viruses.

We investigate spinodal decomposition kinetics of an initially nematic dispersion of rodlike viruses. Quench experiments are performed from a flow-stabilized homogeneous nematic state at a high shear rate into the two-phase isotropic-nematic coexistence region at a zero shear rate. We present experimental evidence that spinodal decomposition is driven by orientational diffusion, in accordance w...

Spinodal decomposition in microemulsions

Interactions between flexible and rodlike macromolecules

2014 We study the interactions between flexible and rodlike macromolecules in solution. If the solvent is a good solvent for the flexible chain, a mean-field theory can be used and the mutual virial coefficient is proportional to the product of the masses of the two polymers. If the solvent is a 03B8 solvent, the two polymers interact as hard spheres when the space dimension is slightly smaller...

Polydispersity and ordered phases in solutions of rodlike macromolecules.

1 Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung, D-55021 Mainz, Postfach 3148, FRG Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS and College of Sciences Dept. III, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01224 Warsaw, Poland Abstract We apply density functional theory to study the influence of polydispersity on the stability of columnar, smectic and solid ordering in the solutions of rodlike macromolecules. For sufficiently large l...

Parallel Spinodal Decomposition

Spinodal decomposition encompasses the ordering dynamics of thermodynamically unstable phases. An example of spinodal decomposition is the separation of the metals in a binary alloy. Because physicists have been unable to develop a fully coherent, consistent , and calculable theory on spinodal decomposition, computational studies have served as valuable sources of information. However, since th...