Two-dimensional colloidal mixtures in magnetic and gravitational fields
Abstract
This mini-review is concerned with two-dimensional colloidal mixtures exposed to various kinds of external fields. By a magnetic field perpendicular to the plane, dipole moments are induced in paramagnetic particles which give rise to repulsive interactions leading to complex crystalline alloys in the composition-asymmetry diagram. A quench in the magnetic field induces complex crystal nucleation scenarios. If exposed to a gravitational field, these mixtures exhibit a brazil--nut effect and show a boundary layering which is explained in terms of a depletion bubble picture. The latter persists for time-dependent gravity ("colloidal shaking"). Finally, we summarize crystallization effects when the second species is frozen in a disordered matrix which provides obstacles for the crystallizing component.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1310.8198,
title = {Two-dimensional colloidal mixtures in magnetic and gravitational fields},
author = {Hartmut Löwen and Tobias Horn and Tim Neuhaus and Borge ten Hagen},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1310.8198},
year = {2013}
}
Comments
13 pages, 9 figures, Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics (accepted)