Structure factor of charged colloidal suspensions using Brownian-dynamics simulation: comparison of Yukawa and Sogami pair potentials

Abstract

Static structure factors S(Q) are obtained for dilute charged colloidal systems using Brownian dynamics simulation method for the widely used screened Coulomb repulsive Yukawa potential and the recently proposed Sogami pair potential. The latter potential has, in addition to the usual repulsive part, an attractive term which is necessary to understand the reentrant phase transition reported in these colloids. It is shown for the first time that S(Q) obtained using the Sogami potential for parameters favourable for liquid-like order agrees well with that measured experimentally. Thus it appears that the Sogami potential explains features of a homogeneous liquid as well as phase separated states, whereas Yukawa potential does not.