Inspired by recent experimental observations of spontaneous chain formation of cubic particles adsorbed at a fluid-fluid interface, we theoretically investigate whether capillary interactions can be responsible for this self-assembly process. We calculate adsorption energies, equilibrium particle orientations, and interfacial deformations, not only for a variety of contact angles but also for single cubes as well as an infinite 2D lattice of cubes at the interface. This allows us to construct a ground-state phase diagram as a function of areal density for several contact angles, and upon combining the capillary energy of a 2D lattice with a simple expression for the entropy of a 2D fluid we also construct temperature-density or size-density phase diagrams that exhibit large two-phase regions and triple points. We identify several regimes with stable chainlike structures, in line with the experimental observations.
Chains of cubic colloids at fluid-fluid interfaces / C. Anzivino, G. Soligno, R. van Roij, M. Dijkstra. - In: SOFT MATTER. - ISSN 1744-683X. - 17:4(2021 Jan 28), pp. 965-975. [10.1039/d0sm01815e]
Chains of cubic colloids at fluid-fluid interfaces
C. Anzivino
Primo
;
2021
Abstract
Inspired by recent experimental observations of spontaneous chain formation of cubic particles adsorbed at a fluid-fluid interface, we theoretically investigate whether capillary interactions can be responsible for this self-assembly process. We calculate adsorption energies, equilibrium particle orientations, and interfacial deformations, not only for a variety of contact angles but also for single cubes as well as an infinite 2D lattice of cubes at the interface. This allows us to construct a ground-state phase diagram as a function of areal density for several contact angles, and upon combining the capillary energy of a 2D lattice with a simple expression for the entropy of a 2D fluid we also construct temperature-density or size-density phase diagrams that exhibit large two-phase regions and triple points. We identify several regimes with stable chainlike structures, in line with the experimental observations.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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