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Is Random Close Packing of Spheres Well Defined?

Salvatore Torquato·Thomas M. Truskett·Pablo G. Debenedetti
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Abstract

Despite its long history, there are many fundamental issues concerning random packings of spheres that remain elusive, including a precise definition of random close packing (RCP). We argue that the current picture of RCP cannot be made mathematically precise and support this conclusion via a molecular dynamics study of hard spheres using the Lubachevsky-Stillinger compression algorithm. We suggest that this impasse can be broken by introducing the new concept of a maximally random jammed state, which can be made precise.

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Salvatore Torquato, Thomas M. Truskett, Pablo G. Debenedetti. 2000-03-25. Is Random Close Packing of Spheres Well Defined?. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.84.2064

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