Pierre de Thier | Searcharxiv

arXiv2013

Some Thermodynamic Properties of Colloidal Dispersions

In this paper, some equations are derived to describe the out-of-equilibrium thermodynamics of colloidal suspensions. These results are obtained assuming that the properties of the colloids essentially come from their surfaces which are unusually high in comparison to their volume. The dispersion, in the form of a variable, is introduced in such a way as to embody the various changes which could affect those systems. Explicit relations are deduced for the free enthalpy of dispersion which describe two separated phenomena: the peptization/coalescence and the suspension of a colloidal phase.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2013

The Hydrophobic Aggregation of Two Colloids: A Thermodynamic Model

Colloidal aggregation could be implemented in various fields ranging from purely colloidal thermodynamics to protein interactions, their stability, and maybe folding. Indeed, colloidal aggregation is closely linked to the so-called hydrophobic effect for which a thermodynamic explanation is proposed. This explanation is performed using Prigogine's out-of-equilibrium thermodynamics which is based on entropy production. It is shown that a likely destabilizing event could induce a spontaneous and irreversible aggregation of two identical or different colloids as it causes the desorption of solvent molecules from colloidal surfaces. This desorption is an entropy production factor through the chemical potentials minimization of, among others, initially adsorbed molecules. This may be viewed as an increase of the so-called "solvent entropy" or "translational entropy".

cond-mat.soft↗