Dr A B Schofield

Research Interests

My main research interest is binary colloidal crystallisation of hard-sphere mixtures. This occurs when two different sized hard sphere colloids are mixed together in the right concentration and at the right size ratio such that they co-crystallise to form an alloy analogous to those seen in atomic systems i.e. AlB2. What types of binary crystals form, at what size ratios they occur and whereabouts in the phase diagram they are occur are all under investigation. The ultimate aim of this work is to try and make photonic devices using the binary structures discovered by having one size of particle acting as a spacer and the other made of an active material such as a semiconductor. As the hard-sphere colloids I make are useful in a variety of other work I also have worked to varying degrees on studies into colloid/polymer behaviour, the behaviour of glasses and template crystallisation.

• Experimental consumption of soft matter and binary fluids