Crystallisation driven by sedimentation: a particle resolved study. (12th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Turci, Francesco; Patrick Royall, C
• Is Part Of: Journal of statistical mechanics. (2016:Sep.)
• Publication Date: 2016-08-12
• Subjects: Statistical mechanics -- Periodicals; Mechanics -- Statistical methods -- Periodicals; 530.1305
• DOI: 10.1088/1742-5468/2016/08/084004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1742-5468

Abstract

Abstract: We investigate the effects of the reversal of the gravitational field onto a sedimented and partially crystallised suspension of nearly-hard sphere colloids. We analyse the structural changes that take place during the melting of the crystalline regions and the reorganisation and assembly of the sedimenting particles. Through a comparison with numerical simulation, we access the single-particle kinetics and identify the key structural mechanism in the competition between five-fold symmetric and cubic crystalline structures. With the use of a coarse-grained, discrete model, we reproduce the kinetic network of reactions underpinning crystallisation and highlight the main microscopic transitions.