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Structural and rheological aging in model attraction-driven glasses by Rheo-SANS
Melissa B Gordon1, Christopher J Kloxin, Norman J Wagner
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lafayette College, 740 High Street, Easton, PA 18042, USA.
Soft Matter
|November 27, 2020
Summary
Aging in colloidal glasses follows a universal path regardless of thermal history. Mechanical and microstructural changes align, showing a common aging trajectory even after shear rejuvenation.
Area of Science:
- Colloidal science
- Soft matter physics
- Materials science
Background:
- Aging phenomena in colloidal suspensions are crucial for understanding material properties.
- Previous studies observed common aging trajectories in thermoreversible gels.
- The attractive-driven glass state presents a unique system for aging studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate aging in a model colloidal suspension with thermoreversible attraction.
- To characterize the microstructural and rheological changes during aging.
- To establish a quantitative relationship between mechanical and microstructural aging.
Main Methods:
- Rheology and Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (Rheo-SANS) techniques were employed.
- Studies were conducted on colloidal glasses in the attractive-driven state.
- Various thermal quench protocols and shear rejuvenation were applied.
Main Results:
- Multiple thermal pathways converge to a common aging trajectory for rheology and microstructure.
- An effective interaction strength, serving as an order parameter, quantifies the glass microstructure.
- A history-independent, semi-empirical relationship links mechanical (elastic modulus) and microstructural aging.
- Shear rejuvenation partially reduces structure, and subsequent aging follows a common microstructural trajectory.
Conclusions:
- Colloidal glass aging is characterized by a universal trajectory, independent of thermal history, at long times.
- The microstructural order parameter effectively describes the aging state of the colloidal glass.
- Aging upon flow cessation after partial rejuvenation follows a predictable path.
