The effect of shear on colloidal aggregation and gelation studied using small-angle light scattering

In situ light scattering measurements were performed to investigate the effect of low shear rates (0.13-3.56 s(-1)) on an aggregating colloidal system made of 20 nm polystyrene particles. The aggregating system was subjected to a shear for a short period (ca. 33 s) and only once at various times after the onset of aggregation. The effect of shear (aggregation kinetics and morphology) was studied both in a cluster dilute and in a cluster dense regime (see introduction). Our results have shown that shear can enhance the aggregation and gelation. Shear induced growth can yield hybrid superaggregates when the system is dense.