Spatially heterogenous dynamics in colloidal gels during syneresis.

Syneresis, the compaction of a material accompanied by fluid expulsion, is a typical mechanical instability which exists among colloidal gel based materials and that negatively affects the quality of relevant applications. We shed light onto the internal dynamics of model colloidal gels undergoing syneresis using Laser Speckle Imaging (LSI). The resulting dynamical maps capture the distinct differences in spatial and temporal relaxation patterns between colloidal gels comprising solid and liquid particles. This indicates different mechanisms of syneresis between the two systems and highlights the importance of the constituent particles and their mobile or restrictive interfaces in the mechanical relaxation of the colloidal gels during syneresis.