Ordering and Dynamics of Interacting Colloidal Particles under Soft Confinement
Confinement can induce substantial changes in the physical properties of macromolecules in suspension. Soft confinement is a particular class of restriction where the boundaries that constraint the particles in a region of the space are not well-defined. This scenario leads to a broader structural a...
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doaj-3fd277b94b784aadb1d0f202ca81202a2021-06-01T00:13:55ZengMDPI AGColloids and Interfaces2504-53772021-05-015292910.3390/colloids5020029Ordering and Dynamics of Interacting Colloidal Particles under Soft ConfinementSalvador Herrera-Velarde0Edith C. Euán-Díaz1Ramón Castañeda-Priego2Subdirección de Investigación y Posgrado, Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Xalapa, Veracruz 91096, MexicoEBRAINS AISBL/IVZW, Troonstraat 98, 1050 Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Physical Engineering, Division of Sciences and Engineering, Campus León, University of Guanajuato, Loma del Bosque 103, León 37150, MexicoConfinement can induce substantial changes in the physical properties of macromolecules in suspension. Soft confinement is a particular class of restriction where the boundaries that constraint the particles in a region of the space are not well-defined. This scenario leads to a broader structural and dynamical behavior than observed in systems enclosed between rigid walls. In this contribution, we study the ordering and diffusive properties of a two-dimensional colloidal model system subjected to a one-dimensional parabolic trap. Increasing the trap strength makes it possible to go through weak to strong confinement, allowing a dimensional transition from two- to one-dimension. The non-monotonic response of the static and dynamical properties to the gradual dimensionality change affects the system phase behavior. We find that the particle dynamics are connected to the structural transitions induced by the parabolic trap. In particular, at low and intermediate confinement regimes, complex structural and dynamical scenarios arise, where the softness of the external potential induces melting and freezing, resulting in faster and slower particle diffusion, respectively. Besides, at strong confinements, colloids move basically along one direction, and the whole system behaves structurally and dynamically similar to a one-dimensional colloidal system.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-5377/5/2/29colloidsconfinementorderinglocomotionBrownian dynamics |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Salvador Herrera-Velarde Edith C. Euán-Díaz Ramón Castañeda-Priego |
spellingShingle |
Salvador Herrera-Velarde Edith C. Euán-Díaz Ramón Castañeda-Priego Ordering and Dynamics of Interacting Colloidal Particles under Soft Confinement Colloids and Interfaces colloids confinement ordering locomotion Brownian dynamics |
author_facet |
Salvador Herrera-Velarde Edith C. Euán-Díaz Ramón Castañeda-Priego |
author_sort |
Salvador Herrera-Velarde |
title |
Ordering and Dynamics of Interacting Colloidal Particles under Soft Confinement |
title_short |
Ordering and Dynamics of Interacting Colloidal Particles under Soft Confinement |
title_full |
Ordering and Dynamics of Interacting Colloidal Particles under Soft Confinement |
title_fullStr |
Ordering and Dynamics of Interacting Colloidal Particles under Soft Confinement |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ordering and Dynamics of Interacting Colloidal Particles under Soft Confinement |
title_sort |
ordering and dynamics of interacting colloidal particles under soft confinement |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Colloids and Interfaces |
issn |
2504-5377 |
publishDate |
2021-05-01 |
description |
Confinement can induce substantial changes in the physical properties of macromolecules in suspension. Soft confinement is a particular class of restriction where the boundaries that constraint the particles in a region of the space are not well-defined. This scenario leads to a broader structural and dynamical behavior than observed in systems enclosed between rigid walls. In this contribution, we study the ordering and diffusive properties of a two-dimensional colloidal model system subjected to a one-dimensional parabolic trap. Increasing the trap strength makes it possible to go through weak to strong confinement, allowing a dimensional transition from two- to one-dimension. The non-monotonic response of the static and dynamical properties to the gradual dimensionality change affects the system phase behavior. We find that the particle dynamics are connected to the structural transitions induced by the parabolic trap. In particular, at low and intermediate confinement regimes, complex structural and dynamical scenarios arise, where the softness of the external potential induces melting and freezing, resulting in faster and slower particle diffusion, respectively. Besides, at strong confinements, colloids move basically along one direction, and the whole system behaves structurally and dynamically similar to a one-dimensional colloidal system. |
topic |
colloids confinement ordering locomotion Brownian dynamics |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2504-5377/5/2/29 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT salvadorherreravelarde orderinganddynamicsofinteractingcolloidalparticlesundersoftconfinement AT edithceuandiaz orderinganddynamicsofinteractingcolloidalparticlesundersoftconfinement AT ramoncastanedapriego orderinganddynamicsofinteractingcolloidalparticlesundersoftconfinement |
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1721415418684375040 |