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arXiv · 1003.2552

Precursor-mediated crystallization process in suspensions of hard spheres

T. Schilling·H. J. Schope·M. Oettel·G. Opletal·I. Snook
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Abstract

We report on a large scale computer simulation study of crystal nucleation in hard spheres. Through a combined analysis of real and reciprocal space data, a picture of a two-step crystallization process is supported: First dense, amorphous clusters form which then act as precursors for the nucleation of well-ordered crystallites. This kind of crystallization process has been previously observed in systems that interact via potentials that have an attractive as well as a repulsive part, most prominently in protein solutions. In this context the effect has been attributed to the presence of metastable fluid-fluid demixing. Our simulations, however, show that a purely repulsive system (that has no metastable fluid-fluid coexistence) crystallizes via the same mechanism.

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T. Schilling, H. J. Schope, M. Oettel, G. Opletal, I. Snook. 2010-03-12. Precursor-mediated crystallization process in suspensions of hard spheres. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.105.025701

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