Shear-induced laning transition in a confined colloidal film

Sascha Gerloff, Tarlan A. Vezirov, and Sabine H. L. Klapp
Phys. Rev. E 95, 062605 – Published 20 June 2017

Abstract

Using Brownian dynamics simulations, we investigate a dense system of charged colloids exposed to shear flow in a confined (slit-pore) geometry. The equilibrium system at zero flow consists of three well-pronounced layers with a squarelike crystalline in-plane structure. We demonstrate that, for sufficiently large shear rates, the middle layer separates into two sublayers where the particles organize into moving lanes with opposite velocities. The formation of this “microlaned” state results in a destruction of the applied shear profile; it also has a strong impact on the structure of the system, and on its rheology as measured by the elements of the stress tensor. At higher shear rates, we observe a disordered state and finally a recrystallization reminiscent of the behavior of bilayer films. We also discuss the system size dependence and the robustness of the microlaned state against variations of the slit-pore width. In fact, for a pore width allowing for four layers, we observe a similar shear-induced state in which the system splits into two domains with opposite velocities.

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  • Received 19 January 2017
  • Revised 10 May 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.95.062605

©2017 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Sascha Gerloff, Tarlan A. Vezirov, and Sabine H. L. Klapp

  • Institut für Theoretische Physik, Hardenbergstrasse 36, Technische Universität Berlin, D-10623 Berlin, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 95, Iss. 6 — June 2017

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