Glass–glass transition during aging of a colloidal clay

Roberta Angelini (), Emanuela Zaccarelli, Flavio Augusto de Melo Marques, Michael Sztucki, Andrei Fluerasu, Giancarlo Ruocco and Barbara Ruzicka ()
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Roberta Angelini: IPCF-CNR, UOS Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 2
Emanuela Zaccarelli: Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 2
Flavio Augusto de Melo Marques: Center for Life NanoScience, IIT@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291
Michael Sztucki: ESRF-The European Synchrotron
Andrei Fluerasu: Brookhaven National Laboratory, NSLS-II
Giancarlo Ruocco: Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 2
Barbara Ruzicka: IPCF-CNR, UOS Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 2

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Colloidal suspensions are characterized by a variety of microscopic interactions, which generate unconventional phase diagrams encompassing fluid, gel and glassy states and offer the possibility to study new phase and/or state transitions. Among these, glass–glass transitions are rare to be found, especially at ambient conditions. Here, through a combination of dilution experiments, X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy, small angle X-ray scattering, rheological measurements and Monte Carlo simulations, we provide evidence of a spontaneous glass–glass transition in a colloidal clay. Two different glassy states are distinguished with evolving waiting time: a first one, dominated by long-range screened Coulombic repulsion (Wigner glass) and a second one, stabilized by orientational attractions (Disconnected House of Cards glass), occurring after a much longer time. These findings may have implications for heterogeneously charged systems out-of-equilibrium and for applications where a fine control of the local order and/or long term stability of the amorphous materials are required.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5049

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