Work

Contact-to-connectivity crossover in the vibrational dynamics of nanoparticle assemblies

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: = -0.38 ± 0.12, indicating a deviation from homogeneous adhesive-contact scaling. Structural characterization over the same diameter range reveals reduced positional correlations and packing coherence, coincident with the change in vibrational scaling. Expressing the fitted branch as a contact-network velocity further shows that the sub-100 nm response reflects collective motion transmitted through a heterogeneous load-bearing network, rather than a bulk acoustic velocity. The measured scaling is consistent with an effective elastic-backbone description. These results establish a nanoscale crossover in the limits of applicability of classical contact mechanics and highlight mechanical connectivity as a key parameter governing collective vibrational dynamics in nanoparticle assemblies.

Source: Soft Matter

DOI: 10.1039/d6sm00658b

Authors: Shaik Mohammad Imran, Nicholas Blanchard, Benoit Mahler, Peter Török, Jeremie Margueritat

Institutions: Lyon 1 Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Lyon, Institut Lumière Matière, Nanyang Technological University

Language: English

Topic: Material Dynamics and Properties

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: HORIZON EUROPE European Innovation Council

Award: Vibrations of viral particles scatter light