Université de Fribourg

Hard sphere-like glass transition in eye lens α-crystallin solutions

Foffi, Giuseppe ; Savin, Gabriela ; Bucciarelli, Saskia ; Dorsaz, Nicolas ; Thurston, George M. ; Stradner, Anna ; Schurtenberger, Peter

In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014, vol. 111, no. 47, p. 16748–16753

We study the equilibrium liquid structure and dynamics of dilute and concentrated bovine eye lens α-crystallin solutions, using small-angle X-ray scattering, static and dynamic light scattering, viscometry, molecular dynamics simulations, and mode-coupling theory. We find that a polydisperse Percus–Yevick hard-sphere liquid-structure model accurately reproduces both static light scattering...

Université de Fribourg

Dynamic depolarized light scattering of small round plasmonic nanoparticles: When imperfection is only perfect

Balog, Sandor ; Rodriguez-Lorenzo, Laura ; Monnier, Christophe A. ; Michen, Benjamin ; Obiols-Rabasa, Marc ; Casal-Dujat, Lucia ; Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara ; Petri-Fink, Alke ; Schurtenberger, Peter

In: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2014, vol. 118, no. 31, p. 17968–17974

Although small round gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) possess only a small degree of shape anisotropy, they support localized surface plasmon resonances and exhibit intrinsic optical anisotropy. These inherent features promote depolarized light scattering, whose temporal fluctuations carry information about rotational Brownian dynamics, and thus can be used to describe the size distribution of...

Université de Fribourg

Thermoresponsive hybrid microgel particles with intrinsic optical and magnetic anisotropy

Dagallier, Camille ; Dietsch, Hervé ; Schurtenberger, Peter ; Scheffold, Frank

In: Soft Matter, 2010, vol. 6, p. 2174-2177

We describe the synthesis of thermoresponsive, magnetic, optically anisotropic and orientable colloidal particles based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hybrid microgels (PNIPAMs) with an embedded ellipsoidal hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) core. Our ability to orient the particles with a magnetic field is demonstrated by small angle X-ray scattering and by optical polarization microscopy.

Université de Fribourg

Density dependent interactions and structure of charged colloidal dispersions in the weak screening regime

Rojas-Ochoa, Luis Fernando ; Castañeda-Priego, R. ; Lobaskin, V. ; Stradner, Anna ; Scheffold, Frank ; Schurtenberger, Peter

In: Physical Review Letters, 2008, vol. 100, p. 178304

We determine the structure of charge-stabilized colloidal suspensions at low ionic strength over an extended range of particle volume fractions using a combination of light and small angle neutron scattering experiments. The variation of the structure factor with concentration is analyzed within a one-component model of a colloidal suspension. We show that the observed structural behavior...

Université de Fribourg

Multiple-scattering suppression in dynamic light scattering based on a digital camera detection scheme

Zakharov, Pavel ; Bhat, Suresh Kumar ; Schurtenberger, Peter ; Scheffold, Frank

In: Applied Optics, 2006, vol. 45, no. 8, p. 1756-1764

We introduce a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera-based detection scheme in dynamic light scattering that provides information on the single-scattered autocorrelation function even for fairly turbid samples. It is based on the single focused laser beam geometry combined with the selective cross-correlation analysis of the scattered light intensity. Using a CCD camera as a multispeckle...

Université de Fribourg

Photonic properties of strongly correlated colloidal liquids

Rojas-Ochoa, Luis Fernando ; Mendez-Alcaraz, J. M. ; Sáenz, J. J. ; Schurtenberger, Peter ; Scheffold, Frank

In: Physical Review Letters, 2004, vol. 93, p. 073903-73906

The optical and structural properties of dense colloidal suspensions in the presence of long-range electrostatic repulsion are determined from both light and small-angle neutron scattering experiments. Short-range structural order induces an enhancement of the scattering strength while at the same time the total transmission shows strong wavelength dependence, reminiscent of a photonic crystal....

Université de Fribourg

Depolarization of backscattered linear lypolarized ligh

Rojas-Ochoa, Luis Fernando ; Lacoste, David ; Lenke, Ralf ; Schurtenberger, Peter ; Scheffold, Frank

In: Journal of the Optical Society of America: A, 2004, vol. 21, p. 1799-1804

We formulate a quantitative description of backscattered linearly polarized light with an extended photon diffusion formalism taking explicitly into account the scattering anisotropy parameter g of the medium. From diffusing wave spectroscopy measurements, the characteristic depolarization length for linearly polarized light, lp, is deduced. We investigate the dependence of this length on the...

Université de Fribourg

Characterization of the pores in hydrous ferric oxide aggregates formed by freezing and thawing

Hofmann, Annette ; Pelletier, Manuel ; Michot, Laurent ; Stradner, Anna ; Schurtenberger, Peter ; Kretzschmar, Ruben

In: Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2004, vol. 271, p. 163-173

Hydrous ferric oxides (HFO) are efficient sorbents for inorganic and organic pollutants and therefore have great potentials in environmental science and engineering applications. Freezing and thawing of HFO suspensions leads to the formation of dense HFO aggregates. It facilitates the handling and increases the drying rate of HFO. In this study, we used a combination of pycnometry, gas adsorption...

Université de Fribourg

Oil-continuous microemulsions mixed with an amphiphilic graft copolymer or with the parent homopolymer. Polymer–droplet interactions as revealed by phase behavior and light scattering

Holmberg, Anna ; Piculell, Lennart ; Schurtenberger, Peter ; Olsson, Ulf

In: Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2004, vol. 250, p. 325-336

Polymer–droplet interactions have been studied in AOT/water/isooctane oil-continuous microemulsions mixed with an amphiphilic graft copolymer, or with the parent homopolymer (AOT = sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate). The graft copolymer has an oil-soluble poly(dodecyl methacrylate) backbone and water-soluble poly(ethylene glycol) side chains. Pseudo-ternary polymer/droplet/isooctane phase...