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Far-from-equilibrium Ostwald ripening in electrostatically driven granular powders
M V Sapozhnikov1, A Peleg, B Meerson
1Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA.
Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|February 9, 2005
Summary
This study explores cluster formation in granular materials. The observed size distribution aligns with theories including cluster mergers, differing from classical models.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
Background:
- Electrostatically driven granular systems exhibit complex dynamics.
- Understanding cluster formation is key in far-from-equilibrium processes.
- Ostwald ripening is a known phenomenon in systems with phase separation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate cluster size distributions in electrostatically driven granular submonolayers.
- To compare experimental findings with existing theories of Ostwald ripening and cluster dynamics.
- To identify factors influencing scaled size distributions in these systems.
Main Methods:
- Experimental study of granular submonolayers under electrostatic drive.
- Analysis of cluster size distributions.
- Comparison with theoretical models, including those accounting for cluster merger.
Main Results:
- Observed dynamic scaling behavior in cluster size distributions.
- The distribution differs from the classical Wagner distribution at low area fractions.
- A theory incorporating cluster merger provided a better fit to the experimental data.
Conclusions:
- Electrostatically driven granular systems display Ostwald ripening-like behavior.
- Cluster merger significantly influences the scaled size distribution.
- Existing theories may need refinement to fully capture these far-from-equilibrium dynamics.