Effect of modulated boundaries on structure formation near the liquid-solid transition in equilibrium and under shear (C04)

• Subject Area: Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2002 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5485412

In this project the effects of modulated boundaries (walls, light fields) on the structure formation in colloidal fluids near the fluid-solid transition will be investigated using experiments (video microscopy) and computer simulations (Monte Carlo and Brownian Dynamics). Systems in two and three dimensions shall be explored in equilibrium and in non-equilibrium situations. In detail we plan to explore the structure formation of magnetic colloids in front of structured surfaces, in light fields and in magnetic fields, where interesting competing effects modify the growth from line-shaped structures to bulk-structures. Capillary crystallization shall be explored for charged colloids and for colloidal mixtures in fields between two parallel walls at various distances. The effect of shearing of parallel walls on the diffusion of defects in the ordered colloidal systems shall be investigated as well as the layering and laning effect of external forces on mixtures between walls.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 6: Physics of Colloidal Dispersions in External Fields
• Applicant Institution: Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
• Co-Applicant Institution: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz; Universität Konstanz
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Kurt Binder (†); Professor Dr. Georg Maret; Professor Dr. Peter Nielaba