6533b857fe1ef96bd12b3a64

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Exotic crystal superstructures of colloidal crystals in confinement.

Hans Joachim SchöpeAna Barreira Fontecha

subject

Condensed Matter::Quantum GasesCondensed Matter::Soft Condensed MatterCrystalColloidHexagonal symmetryMaterials scienceChemical physicsSPHERESStructural transitionColloidal crystalYablonovite

description

Colloidal model systems have been used for over three decades for investigating liquids, crystals, and glasses. Colloidal crystal superstructures have been observed in binary systems of repulsive spheres as well as oppositely charged sphere systems showing structures well known from atomic solids. In this work we study the structural transition of colloidal crystals under confinement. In addition to the known sequence of crystalline structures, crystal superstructures with dodecagonal and hexagonal symmetry are observed in one component systems. These structures have no atomic counterpart.

10.1103/physreve.77.061401https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18643260