Interactions, phase transitions and metastable states in concentrated colloidal dispersions

Abstract

We describe three situations in which strong, short-ranged attractive interactions between colloidal particles arise. These attractions can be induced by the quality of the solvent, addition of non-adsorbing polymer or addition of small colloidal particles. In all three cases phase transitions arise. On further increasing the strength of the attractions, the attainment of thermodynamic equilibrium is severely slowed down, or even suppressed.