title: Kinetics of string-gel formation in a system of dipolar colloidal particles.
abstract: The formation of string-gels of dipolar colloidal particles is investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The characteristic gelation time consistently increases as the temperature of the system increases; it also increases as the density of the system increases. This latter result suggests that the gel formation is not a simple nucleation process. In particular, the energy barriers separating the embryonic nuclei from the final phase appear to be lower for the low-density system, suggesting an important entropic contribution.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Medina Allende s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, X5000HUA Córdoba, Argentina. vmarconi@famaf.unc.edu.ar
authors.forename: Verónica I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Marconi
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Marcelo A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Carignano
mesh_terms: D002621:Chemistry / Q000379:methods; D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D019277:Entropy; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D010825:Physics / Q000379:methods*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D005782:Gels