Stability of colloids in chemically reacting network-forming solvent

We consider a model for a two-component solution which consists of a chemic ally reacting solvent and a chemically inert hard-sphere solute. A directio nal associative interaction between the solvent molecules promotes the form ation of a network. A multi-density associative Ornstein-Zernike equation i s solved analytically using the Percus-Yevick approximation. On the basis o f the analysis of the osmotic compressibility, an instability curve for dif ferent parameters of the model dispersion is constructed. It is shown that concentration and size of colloids affect the formation of associative comp lexes in a solvent and directs in such a way the location and behavior of t he spinodal curves. The effective interaction between colloids is calculate d and discussed. (C) 1999 Academic Press.