Solid–liquid transition of charge-stabilized colloidal dispersions: a single-component structure-function approach

Abstract

We have extended the Raveché–Mountain–Streett one-phasecriterion that governs the freezing of Lennard-Jones systems to a hard-core repulsive Yukawa-model (HCRYM) system. We find in the framework of the Rogers–Young (RY) approximation for an Ornstein–Zernike integral equation that an HCRYM fluid freezes when the ratio α = g(rmin)/g(rmax), where rmax is the distance corresponding to the maximum in the radial distribution function g(r) and rmin is the distance corresponding to the subsequent minimum in g(r), is approximately 0.215. To describe the freezing of charge-stabilized colloidal dispersions in electrolytes, which consist of colloidal macroions,electrolyte small ions, and solvent molecules, we employ the single-component model in which the colloidal particles interact through the effective screened Coulomb potential of Belloni. Whenthe macroion surface effective charge number is taken as an adjustable parameter, the theoretical freezing line predicted by the RY g(rmin)/g(rmax) = 0.215 Raveché–Mountain–Streett one-phase criterion is in very good agreement with the corresponding experimental data.PACS Nos.: 61.25.Em, 61.20.Gy