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pH‐Responsive Microrods Produced by Electric‐Field‐Induced Aggregation of Colloidal Particles
Author(s) -
Snoswell D. R. E.,
Brill R. K.,
Vincent B.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.200601824
Subject(s) - electric field , materials science , polystyrene , colloid , rod , template , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , swelling , polymer , composite material , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
Poly(2‐vinylpyridine) microgel particles and polystyrene latex are aggregated in an alternating electric field to produce a new class of microrods. An electric field simultaneously accelerates the aggregation of oppositely charged particles, and templates the aggregates into linear structures. Rods up to 100 μm in length can be reversibly extended by 20 % by a change in solution pH because of the swelling properties of the microgel particles (see figure).