2009/10/23 by D. V. Tkachenko, V. R. Misko, F. M. Peeters · 1 citation
Chemical Engineering · Engineering · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Granular flow and fluidized beds #Material Dynamics and Properties #Rheology and Fluid Dynamics Studies #cond-mat.soft
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreve.80.051401
published as Phys. Rev. E 80, 051401 (2009) · 10 pages, 7 figures
arxiv created 2009/10/23 · openalex publication_date 2009/11/02 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Using Brownian dynamics simulations, we investigate the dynamics of colloids confined in two-dimensional narrow channels driven by a nonuniform force Fdr(y) . We considered linear-gradient, parabolic, and deltalike driving-force profiles. This driving force induces melting of the colloidal solid (i.e., shear-induced melting), and the colloidal motion experiences a transition from elastic to plastic regime with increasing Fdr. For intermediate Fdr (i.e., in the transition region) the response of the system, i.e., the distribution of the velocities of the colloidal chains upsiloni(y) , in general does not coincide with the profile of the driving force Fdr(y), and depends on the magnitude of Fdr, the width of the channel, and the density of colloids. For example, we show that the onset of plasticity is first observed near the boundaries while the motion in the central region is elastic. This is explained by: (i) (in)commensurability between the chains due to the larger density of colloids near the boundaries, and (ii) the gradient in Fdr. Our study provides a deeper understanding of the dynamics of colloids in channels and could be accessed in experiments on colloids (or in dusty plasma) with, e.g., asymmetric channels or in the presence of a gradient potential field.