Rheology and Dynamics of a Solvent Segregation Driven Gel (SeedGel)

Published

January 4, 2023

Author(s)

Yuyin Xi, Ryan Murphy, Qingteng Zhang, Aurora Zemborain, Suresh Narayanan, Junsu Chae, Siyoung Choi, Andrei Fluerasu, Lutz Wiegart, Yun Liu

Abstract

Bicontinuous structures promise applications in a broad range of research fields, such as energy storage, membrane science, and biomaterials. Kinetically arrested spinodal decomposition is found responsible for stabilizing such structures in different types of materials. Recently, a newly developed solvent segregation driven gel (SeedGel) is demonstrated to realize bicontinuous channels in a thermally reversible and greatly tunable way. Here, the mechanical and dynamic properties of one model SeedGel system prepared with charged silica particles dispersed in water/ 2,6-lutidine are characterized with temperature-dependent rheology, small-angle neutron scattering, and X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. The storage modulus shows good thermo-reproducibility, and an intermediate temperature range (around 30 ˚C) is identified to achieve the largest storage modulus. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements are conducted at different temperatures and the macroscopic solvent phase separation is found to coincide with the gelation transition. The dynamics probed by X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS) are consistent with the temperature dependence of the storage modulus. The localization of nanoparticles is strongly correlated to the arrested dynamics of the domains. A slow, hyper-diffusive motion is observed in SeedGel at about 30 ˚C.

Citation

Soft Matter

Volume

19

Issue

2

Pub Type

Journals

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DOI Link

Keywords

XPCS, Colloidal Gel, Rheology, Dynamics

Citation

Xi, Y. , Murphy, R. , Zhang, Q. , Zemborain, A. , Narayanan, S. , Chae, J. , Choi, S. , Fluerasu, A. , Wiegart, L. and Liu, Y. (2023), Rheology and Dynamics of a Solvent Segregation Driven Gel (SeedGel), Soft Matter, [online], https://dx.doi.org/10.1039/D2SM01129H (Accessed October 20, 2025)