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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Gel, glass and nematic states of plate-like particle suspensions: charge anisotropy and size effects

subject

description

The influence of the charge anisotropy and platelet size on the formation of gel and glass states and nematic phases in suspensions of plate-like particles is investigated using Monte Carlo simulations in the canonical ensemble. The platelets are modeled as discs with charged sites distributed on a hexagonal lattice. The edge sites can carry a positive charge, while the remaining sites are negatively charged giving rise to a charge anisotropy. A screened Coulomb potential plus a short range repulsive potential are used to describe the interactions between the sites of the platelets. The liquid–gel transition is found to be favored by a high charge anisotropy and by large particles. Oppositely, the liquid–glass transition is favored for small particles without charge anisotropy, i.e., fully negatively charged. Finally, we find that the isotropic/nematic transition is disfavored by the charge anisotropy. For a strong charge anisotropy, the nematic phase does not form and, instead, a gel/columnar transition is found.