Amorphous and crystalline states of ultrasoft colloids: a molecular dynamics study Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • In this work, we study the temperature-induced development of "dynamically arrested" states in dense suspensions of "soft colloids" (multi-arm star polymers and/or block-copolymers micelles) by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Temperature increase in marginal solvents results in "soft sphere" swelling, dynamical arrest, and eventually crystallization. However, two distinct "dynamically arrested" states were found, one almost amorphous ("glassy") and one with a considerable degree of crystallinity, yet lower than that of the fully equilibrated crystal. It is remarkable that even that latter state permitted self-diffusion in the timescale of the simulations, an effect that underlies the importance of the "ultra-soft" nature of inter-particle potential. The "number of connections" criterion for crystallinity proved to be very successful in identifying the ultimate thermodynamic trend from the very early stages of the -relaxation. Springer-Verlag 2007.

published proceedings

  • RHEOLOGICA ACTA

author list (cited authors)

  • Rissanou, A. N., Yiannourakou, M., Economou, I. G., & Bitsanis, I. A.

citation count

  • 2

complete list of authors

  • Rissanou, Anastassia N||Yiannourakou, Marianna||Economou, Ioannis G||Bitsanis, Ioannis A

publication date

  • May 2007