Year: 2005
Type: article
Abstract: We report a numerical study, covering a wide range of packing fraction Phi and temperature T, for a system of particles interacting via a square well potential supplemented by an additional constraint on the maximum number n(max) of bonded interactions. We show that, when n(max)<6, the liquid-gas coexistence region shrinks, giving access to regions of low Phi where dynamics can be followed down to low T without an intervening phase separation. We characterize these arrested states at low densities (gel states) in terms of structure and dynamical slowing down, pointing out features which are very different from the standard glassy states observed at high Phi values.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Institutions: Sapienza University of Rome, Yeshiva University
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2002960065