Equilibrium Cluster Phases and Low-Density Arrested Disordered States: The Role of Short-Range Attraction and Long-Range Repulsion

Francesco Sciortino, Stefano Mossa, Emanuela Zaccarelli, and Piero Tartaglia
Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 055701 – Published 29 July 2004

Abstract

We study a model in which particles interact with short-ranged attractive and long-ranged repulsive interactions, in an attempt to model the equilibrium cluster phase recently discovered in sterically stabilized colloidal systems in the presence of depletion interactions. At low packing fractions, particles form stable equilibrium clusters which act as building blocks of a cluster fluid. We study the possibility that cluster fluids generate a low-density disordered arrested phase, a gel, via a glass transition driven by the repulsive interaction. In this model the gel formation is formally described with the same physics of the glass formation.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 13 February 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.055701

©2004 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Francesco Sciortino1, Stefano Mossa1,2, Emanuela Zaccarelli1, and Piero Tartaglia1

  • 1Dipartimento di Fisica and INFM Udr and Center for Statistical Mechanics and Complexity, Università di Roma “La Sapienza,” Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, I-00185, Roma, Italy
  • 2European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, BP 220, F-38043 Grenoble CEDEX, France

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 93, Iss. 5 — 30 July 2004

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×