Granular phase transition as a precondition for segregation.
Experimental results are presented on the segregation of a mixture of spheres with two different sizes, rolling on a circularly vibrating table. Beyond a critical density of particles a demixing occurs leading to a clustering of the larger ones. A monodisperse layer of spheres shows a liquid-solid-like phase transition at a slightly lower critical density. These critical particle densities are both found to be independent of the driving frequency, but decrease with increasing vibration amplitude.
Aumaître
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Laboratoire de Physique Statistique, Ecole Normale Supérieure, F-75231 Paris, France.
Schnautz
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Kruelle
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CA
Rehberg
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