Unexpected stability of aqueous dispersions of raspberry-like colloids

Yang Lan, Alessio Caciagli, Giulia Guidetti, Ziyi Yu, Ji Liu, Villads E. Johansen, Marlous Kamp, Chris Abell, Silvia Vignolini (), Oren A. Scherman () and Erika Eiser ()
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Yang Lan: University of Cambridge
Alessio Caciagli: University of Cambridge
Giulia Guidetti: University of Cambridge
Ziyi Yu: University of Cambridge
Ji Liu: University of Cambridge
Villads E. Johansen: University of Cambridge
Marlous Kamp: University of Cambridge
Chris Abell: University of Cambridge
Silvia Vignolini: University of Cambridge
Oren A. Scherman: University of Cambridge
Erika Eiser: University of Cambridge

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Aqueous colloidal suspensions, both man-made and natural, are part of our everyday life. The applicability of colloidal suspensions, however, is limited by the range of conditions over which they are stable. Here we report a novel type of highly monodisperse raspberry-like colloids, which are prepared in a single-step synthesis that relies on simultaneous dispersion and emulsion polymerisation. The resulting raspberry colloids behave almost like hard spheres. In aqueous solutions, such prepared raspberries show unexpected stability against aggregation over large variations of added salt concentrations without addition of stabilisers. We present simple Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) calculations performed on raspberry-like and smooth colloids showing that this stability results from our raspberries’ unique morphology, which extends our understanding of colloidal stability against salting. Further, the raspberries’ stability facilitates the formation of superspheres and thin films in which the raspberry colloids self-assemble into hexagonally close-packed photonic crystals with exquisite reproducibility.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05560-3

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