Common mechanism of thermodynamic and mechanical origin for ageing and crystallization of glasses
The glassy state is known to undergo slow structural relaxation, where the system progressively explores lower free-energy minima which are either amorphous (ageing) or crystalline (devitrification). Recently, there is growing interest in the unusual intermittent collective displacements of a large...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Research
2017
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| _version_ | 1826262897087479808 |
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| author | Yanagishima, T Russo, J Tanaka, H |
| author_facet | Yanagishima, T Russo, J Tanaka, H |
| author_sort | Yanagishima, T |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | The glassy state is known to undergo slow structural relaxation, where the system progressively explores lower free-energy minima which are either amorphous (ageing) or crystalline (devitrification). Recently, there is growing interest in the unusual intermittent collective displacements of a large number of particles known as ‘avalanches’. However, their structural origin and dynamics are yet to be fully addressed. Here, we study hard-sphere glasses which either crystallize or age depending on the degree of size polydispersity, and show that a small number of particles are thermodynamically driven to rearrange in regions of low density and bond orientational order. This causes a transient loss of mechanical equilibrium which facilitates a large cascade of motion. Combined with previously identified phenomenology, we have a complete kinetic pathway for structural change which is common to both ageing and crystallization. Furthermore, this suggests that transient force balance is what distinguishes glasses from supercooled liquids. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T19:43:05Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:21552a7c-02d2-4cb3-9c17-4154369713db |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T19:43:05Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Nature Research |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:21552a7c-02d2-4cb3-9c17-4154369713db2022-03-26T11:32:47ZCommon mechanism of thermodynamic and mechanical origin for ageing and crystallization of glassesJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:21552a7c-02d2-4cb3-9c17-4154369713dbEnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordNature Research2017Yanagishima, TRusso, JTanaka, HThe glassy state is known to undergo slow structural relaxation, where the system progressively explores lower free-energy minima which are either amorphous (ageing) or crystalline (devitrification). Recently, there is growing interest in the unusual intermittent collective displacements of a large number of particles known as ‘avalanches’. However, their structural origin and dynamics are yet to be fully addressed. Here, we study hard-sphere glasses which either crystallize or age depending on the degree of size polydispersity, and show that a small number of particles are thermodynamically driven to rearrange in regions of low density and bond orientational order. This causes a transient loss of mechanical equilibrium which facilitates a large cascade of motion. Combined with previously identified phenomenology, we have a complete kinetic pathway for structural change which is common to both ageing and crystallization. Furthermore, this suggests that transient force balance is what distinguishes glasses from supercooled liquids. |
| spellingShingle | Yanagishima, T Russo, J Tanaka, H Common mechanism of thermodynamic and mechanical origin for ageing and crystallization of glasses |
| title | Common mechanism of thermodynamic and mechanical origin for ageing and crystallization of glasses |
| title_full | Common mechanism of thermodynamic and mechanical origin for ageing and crystallization of glasses |
| title_fullStr | Common mechanism of thermodynamic and mechanical origin for ageing and crystallization of glasses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Common mechanism of thermodynamic and mechanical origin for ageing and crystallization of glasses |
| title_short | Common mechanism of thermodynamic and mechanical origin for ageing and crystallization of glasses |
| title_sort | common mechanism of thermodynamic and mechanical origin for ageing and crystallization of glasses |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yanagishimat commonmechanismofthermodynamicandmechanicaloriginforageingandcrystallizationofglasses AT russoj commonmechanismofthermodynamicandmechanicaloriginforageingandcrystallizationofglasses AT tanakah commonmechanismofthermodynamicandmechanicaloriginforageingandcrystallizationofglasses |