Reversible gelation and dynamical arrest of dipolar colloids

University Chemical Laboratory - Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK

Received: 20 October 2006
Accepted: 5 March 2007

Abstract

We use molecular dynamics simulations of a simple model to show that dispersions of slightly elongated colloidal particles with long-range dipolar interactions, like ferrofluids, can form a physical (reversible) gel at low volume fractions. On cooling, the particles first self-assemble into a transient percolating network of cross-linked chains, which, at much lower temperatures, then undergoes a kinetic transition to a dynamically arrested state with broken ergodicity. This transition from a transient to a frozen gel is characterised by dynamical signatures reminiscent of jamming in much denser dispersions.