Determination of the colloidal crystal nucleation rate density

Colloidal suspensions of charged latex microspheres in water exhibit liquid-like or crystalline ordering depending on particle interaction and concentration. By virtue of large particle spacing and slow dynamics, colloidal systems offer a unique opportunity to study interfacial structure and dynamics. This paper presents the first reported experimental study of the nucleation rate density, c, of an nonequilibrium (supercooled) colloidal liquid to colloidal crystal first order phase transition. Local and global observations of colloidal crystals growing from a metastable colloidal liquid were used to determine c. Microscopic local observations revealed homogeneous nucleation and constant interface velocity growth of quasispherical crystallites in the bulk and heterogeneous nucleation of a crystalline sheet with lower growth velocity at the cell wall. Complementary global observations of the recrystallization transition made by measuring the time dependence of the suspension transparency (the fraction of transmitted laser light) determined c by fitting this curve to a model based on an extension of Avrami's theory of crystallization.     

Force-driven micro-rheology

Within a microscopic formalism for the nonequilibrium response of colloidal suspensions driven by an external force, we study the active micro-rheology of a glass-forming colloidal suspensions. In this technique, a probe particle is subject to an external force, and its nonequilibrium dynamics is monitored. Strong external forcing delocalizes the particle from its nearest-neighbor cage, resulting in a pronounced force-thinning behavior of the single-particle friction. We discuss the dynamics in the vicinity of this delocalization transition, and how long-range transport is induced for a particle that is localized in the quiescent case.     

Twist of growing bacterial colonies

Twist observed in growing bacterial colonies at the macrolevel is explained in terms of the self-assembly (self-organization) of film-forming protein clusters, since the in vitro and in vivo behavior and symmetry properties of protein in an open thermodynamically nonequilibrium system are identical. The self-assembly of elastic protein films in the course of condensation in the protein-water system obeys the laws of the elasticity theory. As the viscosity of the system grows, the transition of the protein from the liquid-crystal to the solid phase occurs. This transition has a nonlinear dynamics, which also shows up at the macrolevel. Opposite vorticities (twist) appear in the system. Such a modification of protein has been named protos. It is hypothesized that the formation of an elastic nonequilibrium protos film is consistent with the behavior and orientation of elastic forces and magnetic fields in the presence of unlike electric charges.     

Universal scaling behavior at the upper critical dimension of nonequilibrium continuous phase transitions

In this work we analyze the universal scaling functions and the critical exponents at the upper critical dimension of a continuous phase transition. The consideration of the universal scaling behavior yields a decisive check of the value of the upper critical dimension. We apply our method to a nonequilibrium continuous phase transition. By focusing on the equation of state of the phase transition it is easy to extend our analysis to all equilibrium and nonequilibrium phase transitions observed numerically or experimentally.     

Relaxation of the energy of the protein colloidal solution arising at drying in open and closed systems

Experiments show that drying of the same protein colloidal solution in open (air) and closed systems results in two thermodynamically nonequilibrium processes differing in character of energy relaxation. It has been shown that fast removal of the water (evaporation in this case) from the protein-water system is crucial for the protein to stay in the nonequilibrium state. To a certain extent, this fact can be considered as a simplified experimental equivalent of fast adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATF) hydrolysis, a reaction common to living organisms, since fast removal of the water from the water-protein system is also typical of this reaction. This analogy, as well as the similarity (in appearance and types and scales of symmetry) of the protein structures resulting upon drying the protein colloidal solution in vitro and in vivo, suggests that the relaxation processes taking place at nonequilibrium protein self-organization are similar in thermodynamic parameters in both cases. Thus, there appears the possibility of studying the protein in both the equilibrium and nonequilibrium (as yet poorly understood) state.     

Critical volume fraction and size for a colloidal cluster to nucleate

With the aid of the critical size of colloidal cluster,the critical volume fraction of phase transition of colloidal system is determined by the principle of entropy maximum and Carnahan-Starling(CS) state equation in this paper.In our discussion,no parameter is introduced externally,and our results are in good agreement with the experimental results.     

On the slow dynamics of density fluctuations near the colloidal glass transition

Slow dynamics of density fluctuations near the colloidal glass transition is discussed from a new viewpoint by numerically solving a nonlinear stochastic diffusion equation for the density fluctuations recently proposed by one of the present authors (MT). The effects of spatial heterogeneities on the dynamics of density fluctuations are then investigated in an equilibrium system. The spatial heterogeneities are generated by the nonlinear density fluctuations, while in a nonequilibrium system they are described by a nonlinear deterministic equation for the average number density. The dynamics of equilibrium density fluctuations is thus shown to be quite different from that of nonequilibrium ones, leading to a logarithmic decay followed by less distinct α- and β-relaxation processes. Received 9 March 2002 and Received in final form 19 September 2002     

Geometric phase contribution to quantum nonequilibrium many-body dynamics

We study the influence of geometry of quantum systems underlying space of states on its quantum many-body dynamics. We observe an interplay between dynamical and topological ingredients of quantum nonequilibrium dynamics revealed by the geometrical structure of the quantum space of states. As a primary example we use the anisotropic XY ring in a transverse magnetic field with an additional time-dependent flux. In particular, if the flux insertion is slow, nonadiabatic transitions in the dynamics are dominated by the dynamical phase. In the opposite limit geometric phase strongly affects transition probabilities. This interplay can lead to a nonequilibrium phase transition between these two regimes. We also analyze the effect of geometric phase on defect generation during crossing a quantum-critical point.     

PHASE TRANSITION FOR A NOISE-DRIVEN MODEL COUPLED BY A MEAN FIELD

We report a new model for infinite interacting noise driven subsystems which are coupled by a mean field and study its nonequilibrium phase transitions. In this model, under some circumstances the phase transition is between the state with zero mean field and the state with non zero mean field, and has a breaking of symmetry, which is similar to that reported by Van den Broeck, Parrondo, Toral, and Armcro [Phys. Rev. Lett.,73(1994),3395; Phys. Rev., E49(1994),2639], by Pikovsky, Rateitschak, and Kurths [Z.Phys.,B95(1994),541], and by other authors. We style this nonequi librium phase transition the symmetry breaking mean field. However, under other circumstances, the nonequilibrium phase transition of our model is not of the symme try breaking mean field type, which is a new phenomenon that has not been reported before.     

Effective interactions between colloidal particles suspended in a bath of swimming cells

The dynamics of passive colloidal tracers in a bath of self-propelled particles is receiving a lot of attention in the context of nonequilibrium statistical mechanics. Here we demonstrate that active baths are also capable of mediating effective interactions between suspended bodies. In particular we observe that a bath of swimming bacteria gives rise to a short range attraction similar to depletion forces in equilibrium colloidal suspensions. Using numerical simulations and experiments we show how the features of this interaction arise from the combination of nonequilibrium dynamics (peculiar of bacterial baths) and excluded volume effects.     

Mesoscale hydrodynamics simulations of particle suspensions under shear flow: From hard to ultrasoft colloids

We discuss the nonequilibrium properties of rodlike and ultrasoft, star-polymer like colloidal particles in shear flow. Conformational, dynamical, as well as rheological aspects are addressed for a broad range of concentrations. For concentrated solutions of rodlike colloids, we study the nonequilibrium properties of a phase separated system, where a disordered phase coexists with a nematic phase. For starlike polymers we consider systems of various functionality, starting from linear polymers. The individual rods, polymers, or stars exhibit an intriguing dynamical behavior, which determines their macroscopic rheological properties. Despite the diversity on the colloidal level, the various systems exhibit a qualitatively similar macroscopic behavior, e.g., shear thinning, yet with some quantitative differences.     

Notes on Black Hole Phase Transitions

In these notes we present a summary of existing ideas about phase transitions of black hole spacetimes in semiclassical gravity and offer some thoughts on three possible scenarios or mechanisms by which these transitions could take place. We begin with a review of the thermodynamics of a black hole system and emphasize that the phase transition is driven by the large entropy of the black hole horizon. Our first theme is illustrated by a quantum atomic black hole system, generalizing to finite-temperature a model originally offered by Bekenstein. In this equilibrium atomic model, the black hole phase transition is realized as the abrupt excitation of a high energy state, suggesting analogies with the study of two-level atoms. Our second theme argues that the black hole system shares similarities with the defect-mediated Kosterlitz–Thouless transition in condensed matter. These similarities suggest that the black hole phase transition may be more fully understood by focusing upon the dynamics of black holes and white holes, the spacetime analogy of vortex and antivortex topological defects. Finally, we compare the black hole phase transition to another transition driven by an (exponentially) increasing density of states, the Hagedorn transition first found in hadron physics in the context of dual models or the old string theory. In modern string theory the Hagedorn transition is linked by the Maldacena conjecture to the Hawking–Page black hole phase transition in Anti-de Sitter (AdS) space, as observed by Witten. Thus, the dynamics of the Hagedorn transition may yield insight into the dynamics of the black hole phase transition. We argue that characteristics of the Hagedorn transition are already contained within the dynamics of classical string systems. Our third theme points to carrying out a full nonperturbative and nonequilibrium analysis of the large N behavior of classical SU(N) gauge theories to understand its Hagadorn transition. By invoking the Maldacena conjecture we can then gain valuable insight into black hole phase transitions in AdS space.     

Melting of polydisperse colloidal crystals in nonequilibrium

The influence of a time-dependent oscillatory external field on the melting transition of a polydisperse colloidal crystal is examined by theory and computer simulation. In a monodisperse crystal the field just induces an overall dynamical mode which does not affect the melting line. For a polydisperse sample, on the other hand, the field shifts the melting line towards smaller temperatures. Combining a solid cell approach and a Lindemann criterion in nonequilibrium, a simple theory is presented showing that the temperature shift scales with the square of the relative polydispersity. The theory is in reasonable agreement with nonequilibrium Brownian dynamics computer simulations.     

Computational Materials Chemistry at the Nanoscale

In order to illustrate how atomistic modeling is being used to determine the structure, physical, and chemical properties of materials at the nanoscale, we present here the results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on nanoscale assemblies of such materials as carbon nanotubes, diamond surfaces, metal alloy nanowires, and ceramics. We also include here the results of nonequilibrium MD simulations on the nanorheology of a monolayer of wear inhibitor self-assembled on two metal oxide surfaces, separated by hexadecane lubricant, and subjected to steady state shear.We also present recent developments in force fields (FF) required to describe bond breaking and phase transformations in such systems. We apply these to study of plasticity in metal alloy nanowires where we find that depending on the strain rate, the wire may deform plastically (forming twins), neck and fracture, or transition to the amorphous phase.     

Predictive Information in a Nonequilibrium Critical Model

We propose predictive information, that is, information between a long past of duration T and the entire infinitely long future of a time series, as a general order parameter to study phase transitions in physical systems independently of the underlying dynamics. It can be used, in particular, to study nonequilibrium transitions and other exotic transitions, where a simpler order parameter cannot be identified using traditional symmetry arguments. As an example, we calculate predictive information for a stochastic nonequilibrium dynamics problem that forms an absorbing state under a continuous change of a parameter. The information at the transition point diverges as ∝logT, and we calculate the expression for a smooth crossover to ∝T ⁰ away from the transition.     

Nonequilibrium state of self-organized protein nanostructures

Early experiments (1988–2004) on drying out an open (far from equilibrium) colloid protein-water system in vitro at a sufficiently high rate of water evaporation allowed us to reveal for the first time the nonequilibrium state of protein during its self-organization. Thus, an experimental model of protein in vitro, which is to some extent reminiscent of its behavior in vivo, is realized. Based on these findings, we discuss the role of the nonequilibrium liquid-crystal state of protein at its self-organization in the living organism. The emphasis is on the information content of protein and phase transitions in it, as well as on the properties of the aqueous adenosine triphosphate(ATP)-adenosine diphosphate (ADP) system with regard to the rate of water removal. A hypothesis is put forward that the ATP-ADP system serves to accomplish a special mechanism of vital importance providing cyclic self-organization of protein in the high-energy state. It is hoped that an in-depth study of this state will form the basis for further advances in the science of protein not only in the equilibrium state (on the angstrom scale) but also in the nonequilibrium state from the nano-to macroscale.     

Crystallization in a dense suspension of self-propelled particles

Using Brownian dynamics computer simulations, we show that a two-dimensional suspension of self-propelled ("active") colloidal particles crystallizes at sufficiently high densities. Compared to the equilibrium freezing of passive particles, the freezing density is both significantly shifted and depends on the structural or dynamical criterion employed. In nonequilibrium the transition is accompanied by pronounced structural heterogeneities. This leads to a transition region between liquid and solid in which the suspension is globally ordered but unordered liquidlike "bubbles" still persist.     

Quantum simulation of lattice gauge theories on superconducting circuits: Quantum phase transition and quench dynamics

Recently,quantum simulation of low-dimensional lattice gauge theories(LGTs)has attracted many interests,which may improve our understanding of strongly correlated quantum many-body systems.Here,we propose an implementation to approximate Z;LGT on superconducting quantum circuits,where the effective theory is a mixture of a LGT and a gauge-broken term.By using matrix product state based methods,both the ground state properties and quench dynamics are systematically investigated.With an increase of the transverse(electric)field,the system displays a quantum phase transition from a disordered phase to a translational symmetry breaking phase.In the ordered phase,an approximate Gauss law of the Z;LGT emerges in the ground state.Moreover,to shed light on the experiments,we also study the quench dynamics,where there is a dynamical signature of the spontaneous translational symmetry breaking.The spreading of the single particle of matter degree is diffusive under the weak transverse field,while it is ballistic with small velocity for the strong field.Furthermore,due to the emergent Gauss law under the strong transverse field,the matter degree can also exhibit confinement dynamics which leads to a strong suppression of the nearest-neighbor hopping.Our results pave the way for simulating the LGT on superconducting circuits,including the quantum phase transition and quench dynamics.     

On the existence of regular structures in liquid human blood serum (plasma) and phase transitions in the course of its drying

Experimental data show that regular three-dimensional liquid-crystal protein structures ranging in size from several hundredths to several tenths of a millimeter are present in the whole blood serum (plasma) of patients suffering from various diseases. When a drop of serum dries, some of the structures melt to produce a gel, whereas the rest of them undergo phase transition to form solid crystals. These crystals are shaped like immunoglobulin M molecules enlarged 1000-fold. In the serum (plasma) of ailing people, the amount of the gel formed upon drying increases, breaking the symmetry during the formation of nonequilibrium protein films. It is believed that low-intensity physical factors exert a therapeutic action by changing the phase state of protein in body fluids.