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Directed percolation identified as equilibrium pre-transition towards non-equilibrium arrested gel states

Author

Listed:
  • M. Kohl

    (Institute for Theoretical Physics II: Soft Matter, Heinrich Heine University)

  • R. F. Capellmann

    (Condensed Matter Physics Laboratory, Heinrich Heine University)

  • M. Laurati

    (Condensed Matter Physics Laboratory, Heinrich Heine University)

  • S. U. Egelhaaf

    (Condensed Matter Physics Laboratory, Heinrich Heine University)

  • M. Schmiedeberg

    (Institute for Theoretical Physics II: Soft Matter, Heinrich Heine University
    Institute of Theoretical Physics 1, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

Abstract

The macroscopic properties of gels arise from their slow dynamics and load-bearing network structure, which are exploited by nature and in numerous industrial products. However, a link between these structural and dynamical properties has remained elusive. Here we present confocal microscopy experiments and simulations of gel-forming colloid–polymer mixtures. They reveal that gel formation is preceded by continuous and directed percolation. Both transitions lead to system-spanning networks, but only directed percolation results in extremely slow dynamics, ageing and a shrinking of the gel that resembles synaeresis. Therefore, dynamical arrest in gels is found to be linked to a structural transition, namely directed percolation, which is quantitatively associated with the mean number of bonded neighbours. Directed percolation denotes a universality class of transitions. Our study hence connects gel formation to a well-developed theoretical framework, which now can be exploited to achieve a detailed understanding of arrested gels.

Suggested Citation

  • M. Kohl & R. F. Capellmann & M. Laurati & S. U. Egelhaaf & M. Schmiedeberg, 2016. "Directed percolation identified as equilibrium pre-transition towards non-equilibrium arrested gel states," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-8, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms11817
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11817
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