Techniques for the characterization of physical gels - Physical Gels from Biological and Synthetic Polymers - page 55

Snapshots showing the structure in a system of 864 particles at ϕ = 0.1, T* = 0.3 for the interaction
potentials (a) 12:6, (b) 24:12 and (c) 36:18. Snapshots are taken at the final simulation step at time
t =82a²/D 0 . The spheres represent 1 σ and are drawn to scale in relation to the simulation box.
Adapted from Lodge and Heyes ( 1999a ). Reproduced with permission of the American Institute of
Physics for The Society of Rheology.

Figure 2.20

the particles again cluster, but the clusters are very diffuse and there is little order beyond
the range 2

σ

, as expected with a short attraction range between particles.
Quantitative analysis of the radial distribution function reveals that for the LJ 12:6
potential the structure remains amorphous, in a glassy state (liquid-like structure) for a