Continuum modeling of colloid-polymer mixtures in microgravity

We present a continuum model of colloid-polymer mixtures in a microgravity environment. Such mixtures are an archetype for phase transition processes, but the variety of observed colloidal structures remain poorly understood. We construct, analyze and numerically simulate a phase-field model for structure evolution in colloid-polymer mixtures. The model consists of the Cahn-Hilliard equation, which describes phase separation processes in multicomponent mixtures, coupled with the Stokes equation for the viscous fluid flow. The results of the model will be compared against experiments performed on the International Space Station, using data available on the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics system.