The influence of polydispersity on the structural properties of the isotropic phase of magnetic nanoplatelets

Author(s)
Margaret Rosenberg, Žiga Gregorin, Patricija Hribar Boštjančič, Nerea Sebastián, Darja Lisjak, Sofia Kantorovich, Alenka Mertelj, Pedro A. Sánchez
Abstract

By employing a combination of Molecular Dynamics simulations and experimental SAXS studies, we investigate low-concentration suspensions of polydisperse magnetic platelets with dipole moments perpendicular to the platelets' plane. Exploiting the precise control of platelet size and shape in simulation, we are also able to contrast these results with equivalent density monodisperse suspensions. We show how the polydispersity may lead to the reduction of the orientational and spatial correlations in the absence of an applied field, while simultaneously facilitating the field-induced transition into a nematic-like phase. Along with structural properties, we investigate the magnetic response. This allows us to confirm that the inter-platelet magnetic correlations have a negligible influence on the structure of the low-density suspensions.

Organisation(s)
Computational and Soft Matter Physics
External organisation(s)
Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS), Ural Federal University, Wolfgang Pauli Institute (WPI) Vienna
Journal
Journal of Molecular Liquids
Volume
312
No. of pages
10
ISSN
0167-7322
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2020.113293
Publication date
05-2020
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103043 Computational physics
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Condensed Matter Physics, Materials Chemistry, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Spectroscopy, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/027e3b49-09c6-4290-af99-2941fbb34806