title: Role of fluctuation-induced interactions in the axial segregation of granular materials.
abstract: The movement of a few large diameter spheres immersed in a granular medium composed of smaller beads in a rotating cylinder is studied. We evidence attractions and repulsions between the large spheres depending on the rotation frequency. The large spheres also show relative position fluctuations which are Gaussian. A complete study of this problem sheds new light on the problem of size segregation in granular materials and points to the importance of fluctuation-induced interactions.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Physique Moleculaire Optique et Hertzienne, UMR 5978, U. Bordeaux1 351 cours de la Liberation, 33405 Talence cedex France.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zuriguel
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Boudet
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Amarouchene
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kellay
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods*; D008863:Microspheres; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009038:Motion; D010316:Particle Size; D044367:Phase Transition; D012996:Solutions
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D012996:Solutions