Crystal-to-crystal transition of ultrasoft colloids under shear
arXiv:1712.04430 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.078003
Abstract
Ultrasoft colloids typically do not spontaneously crystallize, but rather vitrify, at high concentrations. Combining in-situ rheo-SANS experiments and numerical simulations we show that shear facilitates crystallization of colloidal star polymers in the vicinity of their glass transition. With increasing shear rate well beyond rheological yielding, a transition is found from an initial bcc-dominated structure to an fcc-dominated one. This crystal-to-crystal transition is not accompanied by intermediate melting but occurs via a sudden reorganization of the crystal structure. Our results provide a new avenue to tailor colloidal crystallization and crystal-to-crystal transition at molecular level by coupling softness and shear.
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- Decoupling of single-particle and collective dynamics in arrested phase-separating glassy mixtures