Spinodal decomposition of colloidal systems: the effect of hydrodynamic interactions

On the basis of the Smoluchowski equation, the effect of hydrodynamic interactions on spinodal decomposition kinetics is described. For small wavevectors, the rate of decomposition is decreased as a result of hydrodynamic interactions, while at larger wavevectors the rate of decomposition is increased, and the critical wavevector is shifted upwards. For short-ranged attractions these effects are more pronounced than for long-ranged pair-potentials