Abstract
Rate coefficients (k) in the colloidal crystallization of monodispersed silica spheres in the presence of sodium chloride are studied in microgravity achieved by parabolic flights of an aircraft. Time-resolved reflection spectroscopy is made with a continuous circulating-type stopped-flow cell system. The k values decrease as the salt concentration increases both at 0 and 1 G and those in microgravity are smaller than those in normal gravity by 16% (maximum), especially in water and in the presence of a small amount of the salt lower than 2 × 10−6 mol/l. The rates in flight at 1 G are larger by 15% (maximum) compared with those at 1 G on the ground. The k values obtained at 0 G, 1 G in flight and 1 G on the ground agree excellently with each other for the suspensions with 3 × 10−6 and 4 × 10−6 mol/l sodium chloride. Disappearance of the downward diffusion of spheres and no convection of the suspensions are important for retardation in microgravity.
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Received: 20 January 2000 Accepted: 9 March 2000
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Tsuchida, A., Taguchi, K., Takyo, E. et al. Microgravity experiments on colloidal crystallization of silica spheres in the presence of sodium chloride. Colloid Polym Sci 278, 872–877 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003960000349
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003960000349