Non-equilibrium dynamics of a confined colloidal bilayer in planar shear flow
Abstract
Using Brownian dynamics (BD) simulations we investigate the impact of shear flow on structural and dynamical properties of a system of charged colloids confined to a narrow slit pore. Our model consists of spherical microions interacting through a Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) and a soft-sphere potential. The DLVO parameters were chosen according to a system of moderately charged silica particles (with valence Z35) in a solvent of low ionic strength. At the confinement conditions considered, the colloids form two well-pronounced layers. In the present study we investigate shear-induced transitions of the translational order and dynamics in the layers, including a discussion of the translational diffusion. In particular, we show that diffusion in the shear-melted state can be described by an analytical model involving a single shear-driven particle in a harmonic trap. We also explore the emergence of zig-zag motion characterized by spatio-temporal oscillations of the particles in the layers in the vorticity direction. Similar behavior has been recently observed in experiments of much thicker colloidal films.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1305.7371,
title = {Non-equilibrium dynamics of a confined colloidal bilayer in planar shear flow},
author = {Tarlan A. Vezirov and Sabine H. L. Klapp},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1305.7371},
year = {2015}
}