Colloidal gelation and non-ergodicity transitions

Abstract

Within the framework of the mode coupling theory (MCT) of structural relaxation, mechanisms and properties of non-ergodicity transitions in rather dilute suspensions of colloidal particles characterized by strong short-ranged attractions are studied. Results building on the virial expansion for particles with hard cores and interacting via an attractive square-well potential are presented, and their relevance to colloidal gelation is discussed.