Spontaneous Crystallization in Systems of Binary Hard Sphere Colloids

Bommineni PK, Klement M, Engel M (2020)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Journal

Physical Review Letters American Physical Society

Book Volume: 124

Article Number: 218003

Journal Issue: 21

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.218003

Abstract

Computer simulations of the fluid-to-solid phase transition in the hard sphere system were instrumental for our understanding of crystallization processes. But while colloid experiments and theory have been predicting the stability of several binary hard sphere crystals for many years, simulations were not successful to confirm this phenomenon. Here, we report the growth of binary hard sphere crystals isostructural to Laves phases, AlB2, and NaZn13 in simulation directly from the fluid. We analyze particle kinetics during Laves phase growth using event-driven molecular dynamics simulations with and without swap moves that speed up diffusion. The crystallization process transitions from nucleation and growth to spinodal decomposition already deep within the fluid-solid coexistence regime. Finally, we present packing fraction-size ratio state diagrams in the vicinity of the stability regions of three binary crystals.

Authors with CRIS profile

Praveen Kumar Bommineni Professur für Modellierung von Selbstorganisationsprozessen Marco Klement Professur für Modellierung von Selbstorganisationsprozessen Michael Engel Lehrstuhl für Multiscale Simulation of Particulate Systems

How to cite

APA:

Bommineni, P.K., Klement, M., & Engel, M. (2020). Spontaneous Crystallization in Systems of Binary Hard Sphere Colloids. Physical Review Letters, 124(21). https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.218003

MLA:

Bommineni, Praveen Kumar, Marco Klement, and Michael Engel. "Spontaneous Crystallization in Systems of Binary Hard Sphere Colloids." Physical Review Letters 124.21 (2020).

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