Effective properties of suspensions/emulsions, porous and composite materials

Modelling of Ion Transport in Electromembrane Systems: Impacts of Membrane Bulk and Surface Heterogeneity

Artificial charged membranes, similar to the biological membranes, are self-assembled nanostructured materials constructed from macromolecules. The mutual interactions of parts of macromolecules leads to phase separation and appearance of microheterogeneities within the membrane bulk. On the other hand, these interactions also cause spontaneous microheterogeneity on the membrane surface, to which macroheterogeneous structures can be added at the stage of membrane fabrication. Membrane bulk and surface heterogeneity affect essentially the properties and membrane performance in the applications in the field of separation (water desalination, salt concentration, food processing and other), energy production (fuel cells, reverse electrodialysis), chlorine-alkaline electrolysis, medicine and other. We review the models describing ion transport in ion-exchange membranes and electromembrane systems with an emphasis on the role of micro- and macroheterogeneities in and on the membranes. Irreversible thermodynamics approach, “solution-diffusion” and “pore-flow” models, the multiphase models built within the effective-medium approach are examined as the tools for describing ion transport in the membranes. 2D and 3D models involving or not convective transport in electrodialysis cells are presented and analysed. Some examples are given when specially designed surface heterogeneity on the membrane surface results in enhancement of ion transport in intensive current electrodialysis.

Selective gas transfer through binary polymeric systems based on block-copolymers

Evaluation of several versions of phenomenological theory of gas permeability in selective polymeric membranes is presented, along with the appropriate experimental methods for verification of these versions. The main focus is on a description of stationary mass transfer across membranes (films) containing dispersion inclusions of various shapes of one polymer in a matrix of another. Considering heterogeneous media as a membrane material, it was assumed that diffusion and sorption properties of inclusions are different from those of the dispersing medium. The problem of choosing optimal shape of inclusions is evaluated from the point of view of targeted permeability and selectivity of a membrane with respect to gases. To confirm this theoretical approach, the experimental results of the studies of diffusion (permeability) of permanent gases in polymeric membranes of different structures were used. The target gases included noble gases, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, CO2, and methane. The target polymers included glassy polyvinyltrimethylsilane (PVTMS, T(gl)=155-180 °C), rubberlike polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, T(gl)=-120 °C), and two-phase block-copolymers based on these materials within a wide range of composition, including the region of phase inversion. In addition, available experimental literature data on gas permeation parameters for polyarylat-polysiloxane, polysulfon-polysiloxane, and polycarbonate-polysiloxane block-copolymers are utilized. In order to describe the stationary gas permeability for two-phase systems (from diluted dispersion of one polymer in another to concentrated dispersion and complete phase inversion) the empiric approaches based on modified Maxwell equations are offered. The requirements for two-phase systems with high permeability and selectivity parameters for gas separation are identified. The permeability parameters are predicted for C1-C4 hydrocarbons in block-copolymers based on PDMS dispersion in PVTMS, phase inversion, and PVTMS dispersion in PDMS. Thus, the perspectives of designing heterogeneous membranes based on block-copolymers with predetermined molecular-selective properties are demonstrated.

Aggregation in colloidal suspensions: effect of colloidal forces and hydrodynamic interactions

The forces acting in colloidal suspensions and affecting their stability and aggregation kinetics are considered. The approximations used for these forces in numerical simulations and the importance of the balanced account for both colloidal forces and hydrodynamic interactions are discussed. As an example the results of direct numerical simulations of kinetics of aggregation either with account for hydrodynamic interaction between particles or without it are compared by varying the parameters of the interaction potential between particles and fraction of solid. Simulations are based on the Langevin equations with pairwise interaction between particles and take into account Brownian, hydrodynamic and colloidal forces. It is confirmed that the neglecting of hydrodynamic interaction results in an accelerated growth of aggregates. The results of numerical simulations of aggregation kinetics are compared with well known analytical solutions.

Soft matter approaches to food structuring

We give an overview of the many opportunities that arise from approaching food structuring from the perspective of soft matter physics. This branch of physics employs concepts that build upon the seminal work of van der Waals, such as free volume, the mean field, and effective temperatures. All these concepts aid scientists in understanding and controlling the thermodynamics and (slow) dynamics of structured foods. We discuss the use of these concepts in four topics, which will also be addressed in a forthcoming Faraday Discussion on food structuring.

Hydrodynamic permeability of membranes built up by particles covered by porous shells: cell models

A review is presented on an application of a cell method for investigations of hydrodynamic permeability of porous/dispersed media and membranes. Based on the cell method, a hydrodynamic permeability is calculated of a porous layer/membrane built up by solid particles with a porous shell and non-porous impermeable interior. Four known boundary conditions on the outer cell boundary are considered and compared: Happel's, Kuvabara's, Kvashnin's and Cunningham's (usually referred to as Mehta-Morse's condition). For description of a flow inside the porous shell Brinkman's equations are used. A flow around an isolated spherical particle with a porous shell is considered and a number of limiting cases are shown. These are compared with the corresponding results obtained earlier.