Charge renormalization and phase separation in colloidal suspensions

Abstract

We explore the effects of counterion condensation on fluid-fluid phase\nseparation in charged colloidal suspensions. It is found that formation of\ndouble layers around the colloidal particles stabilizes suspensions against\nphase separation. Addition of salt, however, produces an instability which, in\nprinciple, can lead to a fluid-fluid separation. The instability, however, is\nso weak that it should be impossible to observe a fully equilibrated\ncoexistence experimentally.\n