Abstract
We combine the analytical theory of nonaffine deformations of noncrystalline solids with numerical Stokesian dynamical simulations to obtain analytical closed-form expressions for the shear modulus of fractal aggregates in shear flows. The proposed framework also provides analytical predictions for the evolution of the fractal dimension df of the aggregate during the aggregation process. This leads to a lower bound on df below which aggregates are mechanically unstable (they possess floppy modes) and cannot survive without restructuring into more compact, higher-df configurations. In the limit of large aggregates, the predicted lower bound is df = 2.407. This result provides the long-sought explanation as to why all experimental and simulation studies in the past consistently reported df ≳ 2.4 for shear-induced colloidal aggregation. The analytical expressions derived here can be used within population balance calculations of colloidal aggregation in shear flows whereby until now the fractal dimension evolution was treated as a free parameter. These results may open up the possibility of developing new microscopic mechanical manipulation techniques to control nanoparticle and colloidal aggregates at the nanoscale.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.