Binary Mixtures of Particles with Different Diffusivities Demix

Weber, Simon N.; Weber, Christoph A. and Frey, Erwin (2016): Binary Mixtures of Particles with Different Diffusivities Demix. In: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 116, No. 5, 58301

Abstract

The influence of size differences, shape, mass, and persistent motion on phase separation in binary mixtures has been intensively studied. Here we focus on the exclusive role of diffusivity differences in binary mixtures of equal-sized particles. We find an effective attraction between the less diffusive particles, which are essentially caged in the surrounding species with the higher diffusion constant. This effect leads to phase separation for systems above a critical size: A single close-packed cluster made up of the less diffusive species emerges. Experiments for testing our predictions are outlined.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Physics
• Subjects: 500 Science > 530 Physics
• ISSN: 0031-9007
• Language: English