Equilibrium gels provide physically attractive counterparts of nonequilibrium gels, allowing statistical understanding and design of the equilibrium gel structure. Here, we assemble two-dimensional equilibrium gels from limited-valency "patchy" colloidal particles and follow their evolution at the particle scale to elucidate cluster-size distributions and free energies. By finely adjusting the patch attraction with critical Casimir forces, we let a mixture of two-valent and pseudo-three-valent patchy particles approach the percolated network state through a set of equilibrium states. Comparing this equilibrium route with a deep quench, we find that both routes approach the percolated state via the same equilibrium states, revealing that the network topology is uniquely set by the particle bond angles, independent of the formation history. The limited-valency system follows percolation theory remarkably well, approaching the percolation point with the expected universal exponents.

Networks of Limited-Valency Patchy Particles / Swinkels, P.  J.  M.; Sinaasappel, R.; Gong, Z.; Sacanna, S.; Meyer, W.  V.; Sciortino, Francesco; Schall, P.. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS. - ISSN 0031-9007. - 132:7(2024). [10.1103/physrevlett.132.078203]

Networks of Limited-Valency Patchy Particles

Sciortino, Francesco;
2024

Abstract

Equilibrium gels provide physically attractive counterparts of nonequilibrium gels, allowing statistical understanding and design of the equilibrium gel structure. Here, we assemble two-dimensional equilibrium gels from limited-valency "patchy" colloidal particles and follow their evolution at the particle scale to elucidate cluster-size distributions and free energies. By finely adjusting the patch attraction with critical Casimir forces, we let a mixture of two-valent and pseudo-three-valent patchy particles approach the percolated network state through a set of equilibrium states. Comparing this equilibrium route with a deep quench, we find that both routes approach the percolated state via the same equilibrium states, revealing that the network topology is uniquely set by the particle bond angles, independent of the formation history. The limited-valency system follows percolation theory remarkably well, approaching the percolation point with the expected universal exponents.
2024
patchy particles, self assembly, networks
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Networks of Limited-Valency Patchy Particles / Swinkels, P.  J.  M.; Sinaasappel, R.; Gong, Z.; Sacanna, S.; Meyer, W.  V.; Sciortino, Francesco; Schall, P.. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS. - ISSN 0031-9007. - 132:7(2024). [10.1103/physrevlett.132.078203]
File allegati a questo prodotto
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1722815
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 0
  • Scopus 3
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 3
social impact