Quantitative real-space analysis of self-assembled structures of magnetic dipolar colloids.
We present the first real-space analysis on a single-particle level of the dipolar chains and branched clusters self-assembling in magnetic fluids in zero field. Spatial correlations and chain-length distributions directly obtained from tracked particle positions in vitrified films of synthetic magnetic (Fe3O4) dispersions provide a quantitative test for simulations and theory of dipolar fluids. A pertinent example is the cluster-size distribution that can be analyzed with a one-dimensional aggregation model to yield a dipolar attraction energy that agrees well with the dipole moment found from independent magnetization measurements.
Van 't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Mark
M
Klokkenburg
Roel P A
RP
Dullens
Willem K
WK
Kegel
Ben H
BH
Erné
Albert P
AP
Philipse