Effect of residual attractive interactions in size asymmetric colloidal mixtures: Theoretical analysis and predictions.

We analyze the influence of residual attractions on the static and some dynamic properties of size asymmetric mixtures of "hard-sphere-like" colloids. These attractions, usually neglected in the theoretical analysis, are characterized by a very short range and a moderate strength reflecting the underlying microscopic structure of the colloidal particles. Their effect on the potentials of mean force is analyzed from analytical expressions obtained from low density expansions. The effective potential of the big particle fluid is next considered. An analytical expression is proposed for estimating the deviation with respect to the hard sphere depletion potential. This case is compared to that of mixtures with noninteracting depletants. The important consequences on the binodals and the glass transition lines of the effective fluid are discussed in both cases. This study is next extended to other properties-the specific heat and the low shear viscosity-which incorporate contributions from the two components of the binary mixture.