Droplets as model systems for investigating crystals, glasses, and the growth of aggregates

Speaker: Dr. Dalnoki-Veress (McMaster University and ESPCI ParisTech, PSL Research University, Paris)

Abstract: Over the last years we have developed a method to produce monodisperse oil droplets in an aqueous environment. By carefully tuning the adhesion forces between the droplets they provide model systems for studying various physical phenomena that are not accessible by investigating the molecular counterparts. Here I will present recent work on 2D crystals (monodisperse droplets) and disordered glasses (bidisperse droplets) and the transition from one to the other. In addition to the idealized 2D structures, the same system of droplets can also be used to investigate the formation of 3D clusters if the adhesion between droplets is sufficiently strong. The droplet studies presented represent a granular analogue of molecular systems and are our attempt to begin to answer two fundamental questions: 1) how many particles does one need to describe continuum bulk phenomena, and 2) how does an ordered crystal transition to a disordered glass?