A Dynamics Behavior of Two-Dimensional Colloidal Aggregates
Advancing the chemical engineering fundamentals
Interfacial & Colloidal Phenomena (T2-6P)
Keywords: Discrete Element Method, Dynamics Behavior, Colloidal Aggregates
A Dynamics Behavior of Two-Dimensional Colloidal Aggregates
using Discrete Element Method (DEM)
Tawiwan Kangsadan1 and Sarunya Promkotra2
1 Chemical and Process Engineering Program,
The Sirindhorn International Thai-German Graduate School of Engineering,
King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology North Bangkok 10800, Thailand
Corresponding author: Tel. 662-943-2500 ext 1039, Fax 662- 586-7805,
E-mail: tkangsadan@yahoo.com
2 Geotechnology, Faculty of Technology
Khon Kaen University, Thailand
E-mail: sarunya@kku.ac.th
Keywords: Discrete Element Method, Dynamics Behavior, Colloidal Aggregates
Abstract
Two-dimensional colloidal aggregates of polystyrene microspheres were formed on the air-liquid interface and characterized by digital video microscopy. Since, these two-dimensional colloidal aggregates can be treated as the granular material or discontinuum materials, the dynamics behavior can be easily monitored and investigated with the used of the Discrete Element Method (DEM) computer simulation. The aggregates occurred due to the force interactions between particles that depend on their chemical conditions and environments. The force interactions that influence the behavior of colloidal particles were the spring-and-dashpot, the van der Waals and the capillary forces. In order to study this system using the DEM simulation, the force interaction algorithm of the original DEM simulation program must be modified to better represent the system. Once the force interaction model had been established to represent the colloidal system along with appropriate conditions, the dynamics behavior of two-dimensional colloidal aggregates could be obtained. The results from the simulation could be further studied study in a statistical mechanical analysis of contact forces and stress. In addition, compressive behaviors of clusters and rearrangement mechanisms of the aggregates can be investigated along with the experimental work to obtain the mechanical properties. Unfortunately, the main focus of this paper is to introduce a new computer simulation method, DEM that can be applied to the colloidal system.
Presented Thursday 20, 13:30 to 15:00, in session Interfacial & Colloidal Phenomena (T2-6P).
