Binary Colloidal Alloy Test - 5

The goal of the BCAT investigations is to further investigate critical, fundamental problems in colloid science and evolve the field of ‘colloid engineering’, which creates materials with novel properties using colloidal particles as precursors. The BCAT-5 investigation had four primary objectives corresponding to specific samples: Phase Seperation (BCAT-5-PhaseSep): to study collapse (phase separation rates that impact product shelf-life). Compete (BCAT-5-Compete): to study the competition between phase separation and crystallization, which is important in the manufacture of plastics and other materials. Seeded Growth (BCAT-5-SeededGrowth): to study the properties of concentrated systems of small particles when 99.8% are identical 0.36 diameter micron spheres and 0.2% are 4.14 microns in diameter (11.5x larger); these seed particles may cause heterogeneous crystal growth. 3D Melt (BCAT-5-3D-Melt): to study the mechanisms of crystal formation and 3D melting using colloidal particles that change size with temperature.