Colloidal monolayer trapped near a charged wall: a synchrotron x-ray diffraction study

Phys Rev Lett. 2008 Sep 26;101(13):136103. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.136103. Epub 2008 Sep 24.

Abstract

Using x-ray diffraction from microfluidic channel arrays, we have determined concentration profiles of charge-stabilized silica colloids (radius 60+/-2 nm) confined between two like-charged dielectric walls at a few hundred nanometer distance. In solutions of very low ionic strength, strongly repulsive Coulomb interactions drive the colloids toward the central region between the walls. The addition of a small quantity of salt ions (0.2 mM) causes a dense colloidal monolayer to be trapped near the walls.