title: Polymerization transitions in two-dimensional systems of dipolar spheres.
abstract: We investigate the self-organization of dipolar spheres into polymer chains as a fundamental model of the self-assembly of particles having anisotropic interparticle interactions. Our study involves a combination of modeling with vertically vibrated magnetic beads simulating a quasi-two-dimensional fluid at equilibrium and corresponding Monte Carlo simulations of hard spheres with embedded extended dipoles. We find a transition from a gas-like phase to a polymerized phase upon cooling, in accord with the analytic theory of equilibrium polymerization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, IPST, and IREAP, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stambaugh
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Workum
authors.forename: Jack F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Losert
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D044367:Phase Transition; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D011108:Polymers