Plastic restructuring in compressed colloidal glasses

ORAL

Abstract

We report the observation of localized plastic restructuring in compressed colloidal glasses. By placing a expanding bulk hydrogel in contact with the colloidal glass, we can drive the system above the glass transition volume fraction, $\phi=0.58 \to 0.64$. We measure the local strain tensor using three dimensional confocal microscopy and particle tracking techniques. The increase in volume fraction exhibits a smooth exponential increase. However, local irreversible transformations exhibit strong fluctuations that are correlated to the local free volume. We will elucidate the mechanisms for these localized relaxation events, and make comparisons to recent models of sheared amorphous solids.

*Funding from the NSF under grant DMR-0602684

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Authors

  • Daniel Blair

    • Harvard University

  • David Weitz

    • Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Department of Physics, Harvard University
    • DEAS, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
    • Harvard University
    • DEAS, Harvard University
    • Division of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138, USA
    • Division of Engineering and Applied Science. Harvard University
    • Applied Physics, Harvard University