Kinetics of multiscale self-organisation via a pressure jump

This is a continuation of experiment SC-4987 (proposal round April 2020), for which the experimental plan was adjusted for the remote-access mode due to COVID-19 restrictions. Instead of the originally-planned pressure jump, a temperature- and concentration-dependent rheo-SAXS study was performed, which was easier to do with limited manpower. Aqueous solutions of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) spontaneously form a rich variety of concentration-dependent assemblies with complex multiscale structure [1-3]. We have recently studied the kinetics of the self-assembly process using a temperature quench in a stopped-flow device [4]. These results, however, could suffer from the finite cooling rate. Here we propose to investigate the fast kinetics of the self-assembly process in pressure jump experiments. Preliminary results obtained by our local contact demonstrate the presence of pressure-induced assembly/melting transitions.