Transport kinetics through narrow void: examples of drying colloid-polymer suspensions and imbibition of water in polydisperse foam
Abstract: When silica colloidal particles pack, there are many small voids between packed particles. Transport of large molecules, such as polymer, would be disturbed severely in such narrow voids but details on this are not well examined yet. In my laboratory, we have investigated effect of polymer addition on the evaporation kinetics of colloidal suspensions. Small molecules pass through the voids while larger ones are filtrated in the packed layer, of which difference affects evaporation kinetics of water. We discuss quantitative relation between size of polymer molecules and voids.
Silica colloidal particles are rigid and not deformable. Conversely, if we use packed foam, water channels between bubbles are easy to deform. We have chosen foam as a transport system that consists of deformable channels. We discuss polydispersity of bubbles in foam and its relation to imbibition kinetics of water.
[1] Masahiko Tanaka and Susumu Inasawa (2023) Drying kinetics of colloid-polymer suspensions confined in a two-dimensional geometry. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 672, 131693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2023.131693
[2] Kanoko Tsuritani and Susumu Inasawa (2021) Scaling law for the kinetics of water imbibition in polydisperse foams. RSC Advances, 11, 33093-33101. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1RA06392H
Short bio:
2006 Dr. of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), The University of Tokyo
2006 – 2007 Research Fellowship for Young Scientist (PD), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
2007 Post-doctoral fellow and Assistant professor, The University of Tokyo
2013 Associate Professor, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
2023 Professor, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
Keywords: Transport phenomena in soft matter, drying colloidal suspensions, emulsions and foam