Kinetics of Aggregation and Gelation presents the proceedings of the International Topical Conference on Kinetics of Aggregation and Gelation held on April 2-4, 1984 in Athens, Georgia. The purpose of the conference was to bring together international experts from a wide variety of backgrounds who are studying phenomena inherently similar to the formation of large clusters by the union of many separate, small elements, to present and exchange ideas on new theories and results of experimental and computer simulations. This book is divided into 57 chapters, each of which represents an oral presentation that is part of a unified whole. The book begins with a presentation on fractal concepts in aggregation and gelation, followed by presentations on topics such as aggregative fractals called ""squigs""; multi-particle fractal aggregation; theory of fractal growth processes; self-similar structures; and interface dynamics. Other chapters cover addition polymerization and related models; the kinetic gelation model; a new model of linear polymers; red cell aggregation kinetics; the Potts Model; aggregation of colloidal silica; the ballistic model of aggregation; stochastic dynamics simulation of particle aggregation; particle-cluster aggregation; kinetic clustering of clusters; computer simulations of domain growth; and perspectives in the kinetics of aggregation and gelation. This book will be of interest to practitioners in the fields of chemistry, theoretical physics, and materials engineering.

Kinetics of Aggregation and Gelation

Presenting a unique perspective on state-of-the-art physical gels, this interdisciplinary guide provides a complete, critical analysis of the field and highlights recent developments. It shows the interconnections between the key aspects of gels, from molecules and structure through to rheological and functional properties, with each chapter focusing on a different class of gel. There is also a final chapter covering innovative systems and applications, providing the information needed to understand current and future practical applications of gels in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, cosmetic, chemical and food industries. Many research teams are involved in the field of gels, including theoreticians, experimentalists and chemical engineers, but this interdisciplinary book collates and rationalises the many different points of view to provide a clear understanding of these complex systems for researchers and graduate students.

This book presents a compilation of self-contained chapters covering a wide range of topics within the broad field of soft condensed matter. Each chapter starts with basic definitions to bring the reader up-to-date on the topic at hand, describing how to use fluid flows to generate soft materials of high value either for applications or for basic research. Coverage includes topics related to colloidal suspensions and soft materials and how they differ in behavior, along with a roadmap for researchers on how to use soft materials to study relevant physics questions related to geometrical frustration.

Manufactured foodstuffs typically exist in the form of complex, multi-phase, multi-component, colloidal systems. One way to try to make sense of their chemical and structural complexity is to study simple model systems in which the nature and properties of the polymer molecules and dispersed particles are relatively well known. This volume consists of a collection of papers delivered at a conference on food colloids, the main theme of which was the role of food macromolecules in determining the stability, structure, texture and rheology of food colloids, with particular reference to gelling behaviour and interactions between macromolecules and interfaces. A feature of the collection is the wide range of physico-chemical techniques now being used to address problems in this field.

"Molecular Gels: Materials with Self-Assembled Fibrillar Networks" is a comprehensive treatise on gelators, especially low molecular-mass gelators and the properties of their gels. The structures and modes of formation of the self-assembled fibrillar networks (SAFINs) that immobilize the liquid components of the gels are discussed experimentally and theoretically. The spectroscopic, rheological, and structural features of the different classes of low molecular-mass gelators are also presented. Many examples of the application of the principal analytical techniques for investigation of molecular gels (including SANS, SAXS, WAXS, UV-vis absorption, fluorescence and CD spectroscopies, scanning electron, transmission electron and optical microscopies, and molecular modeling) are presented didactically and in-depth, as are several of the theories of the stages of aggregation of individual low molecular-mass gelator molecules leading to SAFINs. Several actual and potential applications of molecular gels in disparate fields (from silicate replication of nanostructures to art conservation) are described. Special emphasis is placed on perspectives for future developments. This book is an invaluable resource for researchers and practitioners either already researching self-assembly and soft matter or new to the area. Those who will find the book useful include chemists, engineers, spectroscopists, physicists, biologists, theoreticians, and materials scientists.

It is now well recognised that the texture of foods is an important factor when consumers select particular foods. Food hydrocolloids have been widely used for controlling in various food products their viscoelasticity, emulsification, gelation, dispersion, thickening and many other functions. An international journal, FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS, launched in 1986 has published a number of stimulating papers, and established an active forum for promoting the interaction between academics and industrialists and for combining basic scientific research with industrial development. Although there have been various research groups in many food processing areas in Japan, such as fish paste (kamaboko, surimi), soybean curd (tofu), agar jelly dessert, kuzu starch jelly, kimizu (Japanese style mayonnaise), their activities have been conducted in isolation of one another. The interaction between the various research groups operating in the various sectors has been weak. Symposia on food hydrocolloids have been organised on several occasions in Japan since 1985. Professor Glyn O. Phillips, the Chief Executive Editor of FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS, suggested to us that we should organise an international conference on food hydrocolloids. We discussed it on many occasions, and eventually decided to organise such a meeting, and extended the scope to include recent development in proteinaceous hydrocolloids, and their nutritional aspects, in addition to polysaccharides and emulsions.

This book is the most comprehensive introductory text on the chemistry and biochemistry of milk. It provides a comprehensive description of the principal constituents of milk (water, lipids, proteins, lactose, salts, vitamins, indigenous enzymes) and of the chemical aspects of cheese and fermented milks and of various dairy processing operations. It also covers heat-induced changes in milk, the use of exogenous enzymes in dairy processing, principal physical properties of milk, bioactive compounds in milk and comparison of milk of different species. This book is designed to meet the needs of senior students and dairy scientists in general.

This text provides a comprehensive and thorough overview of kinetic modelling in food systems, which will allow researchers to further their knowledge on the chemistry and practical use of modelling techniques. The main emphasis is on performing kinetic analyses and creating models, employing a hands-on approach focused on putting the content discussed to direct use. The book lays out the requisite basic information and data surrounding kinetic modelling, presents examples of applications to different problems and provides exercises that can be solved utilizing the data provided. Kinetic Analysis of Food Systems pursues a practical approach to kinetic analysis, providing helpful exercises involving chlorophyll degradation in processed vegetables, metabolic oscillations and sugar accumulation in cold-stored potatoes, transesterification of oils to manufacture biodiesel, aggregation of whey proteins to make protein gels and crystallization of fat stabilizers used in nut butters, among others. The book lays out the basics of kinetic modelling and develops several new models for the study of these complex systems. Taken together with the accompanying exercises, they offer a full portrait of kinetic analysis, from its basic scientific groundwork to its application.

Biodegradable thermogels are a promising class of stimuli-responsive polymers. This book summarizes recent developments in thermogel research with a focus on synthesis and self-assembly mechanisms, gel biodegradability, and applications for drug delivery, cell encapsulation and tissue engineering. A closing chapter on commercialisation shows the challenges faced bringing this new material to market. Edited by leading authorities on the subject, this book offers a comprehensive overview for academics and professionals across polymer science, materials science and biomedical and chemical engineering.