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Early-stage aggregation in three-dimensional charged granular gas
Chamkor Singh1,2, Marco G Mazza1
1Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPIDS), Am Faßberg 17, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
Physical Review. E
|March 18, 2018
Summary
Collisional charging in granular gases significantly impacts particle clustering. Electrostatic forces, not just dissipation, alter cluster size, shape, and growth rates, promoting aggregation by reducing particle diffusion.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Statistical Mechanics
Background:
- Neutral dielectric grains can acquire charges through collisions, leading to long-range electrostatic interactions.
- Granular gases, composed of particles, exhibit complex behaviors influenced by inter-particle forces and energy dissipation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of electrostatic interactions from collisional charging on the clustering dynamics of a granular gas.
- To compare the clustering behavior of charged granular gases with that of neutral granular gases.
Main Methods:
- Three-dimensional molecular dynamics simulations of a dilute, freely cooling granular gas.
- Modeling viscoelastic particles that exchange charges during collisions.
- Mean-field calculations using Smoluchowski's equation.
Main Results:
- Electrostatic interactions due to collisional charging alter cluster size, morphology, and growth rates compared to neutral granular gases.
- The average cluster size exhibits power-law growth, with a larger exponent in charged gases.
- The ratio of Coulomb to kinetic energy affects cluster growth crossover time but not the overall growth rate.
Conclusions:
- Electrostatic interactions play a crucial role in granular gas clustering, modifying aggregation dynamics beyond simple dissipation.
- Suppression of particle diffusion by electrostatic forces enhances the aggregation process.
- The findings provide insights into the collective behavior of charged granular systems.
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