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The structural origin of the hard-sphere glass transition in granular packing

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Listed:
  • Chengjie Xia

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Jindong Li

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Yixin Cao

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Binquan Kou

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Xianghui Xiao

    (Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory)

  • Kamel Fezzaa

    (Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory)

  • Tiqiao Xiao

    (Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yujie Wang

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University)

Abstract

Glass transition is accompanied by a rapid growth of the structural relaxation time and a concomitant decrease of configurational entropy. It remains unclear whether the transition has a thermodynamic origin, and whether the dynamic arrest is associated with the growth of a certain static order. Using granular packing as a model hard-sphere glass, we show the glass transition as a thermodynamic phase transition with a ‘hidden’ polytetrahedral order. This polytetrahedral order is spatially correlated with the slow dynamics. It is geometrically frustrated and has a peculiar fractal dimension. Additionally, as the packing fraction increases, its growth follows an entropy-driven nucleation process, similar to that of the random first-order transition theory. Our study essentially identifies a long-sought-after structural glass order in hard-sphere glasses.

Suggested Citation

  • Chengjie Xia & Jindong Li & Yixin Cao & Binquan Kou & Xianghui Xiao & Kamel Fezzaa & Tiqiao Xiao & Yujie Wang, 2015. "The structural origin of the hard-sphere glass transition in granular packing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms9409
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9409
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