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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Two-Step Crystallization Kinetics in Colloidal Hard-Sphere Systems
William Van MegenGary BryantHans Joachim Schöpesubject
Crystallization kineticsColloidMaterials scienceChemical physicslawScientific methodDispersityNucleationGeneral Physics and AstronomyCrystalliteHard spheresCrystallizationlaw.inventiondescription
The crystallization kinetics of colloidal hard spheres was studied using a special Bragg spectrometer with high sensitivity. In contrast with the classical scenario we observe a two-step nucleation process: the number of crystallites increases slowly at early times, followed by a dramatic reduction at intermediate times, prior to undergoing a rapid increase at late times. We explain these results in terms of a polydispersity limited growth of crystallites, where the crystallization at early times is governed by local fractionation processes, leading to a long delay prior to final crystallization.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-12-21 | Physical Review Letters |