Title: Crystal nucleation and growth in a cyclically sheared granular packing

Author (Talk): Andreea Panaitescu, Clark University

Abstract:

The crystallization process of a dense granular packing under cyclic quasi-static shear deformations was studied in three dimensions using the fluorescent liquid refractive index matching method. We found that the nucleation takes place in the regions occupied by the particles in a hexagonal close packed (hcp) configuration which are present even in the initial disordered states of the system. We determined the shape and the orientation of the nucleating clusters, identified their critical size and measured the average surface tension of the amorphous – solid interface. As the crystallites reach a critical size, particles in face-centered cubic (fcc) configuration become present in system. Their number increases with the growth of the crystalline regions and eventually the fcc phase becomes dominant.

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