Experimental Soft Condensed Matter Group Harvard University, Prof. D. A. Weitz Cool Picture of the Moment

The movie shows the evolution of depletion gels formed with polystyrene beads and PEG polymer under different gravitational stresses.

Left sample: gravitational stress = 0.56 Pa, 10% particle concentration, 0.5% g/ml polymer concentration
Right sample: gravitational stress = 0.05 Pa, 10% particle concentration, 0.5% g/ml polymer concentration

Although, there is an order of magnitude difference in gravitational stress both samples break at the same time, showing that perhaps gravitational stress is not the trigger force on the destruction of the structure.

For more information contact Juan Jose Lietor-Santos.

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