MICROSTRUCTURE OF AGGREGATES IN DISPERSIONS DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF RADIAL DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION

Following a sticky particle model and its computer simulation scheme proposed in the previous papers, the motions of particles in both 2-and 3-dimensional shear flow fields are simulated. At a steady state of clustering process, the radial distribution functions are calculated to precisely describe the microstructure of aggregates in dispersions, and the configuration of particles is displayed,which gives a direct view of microstructure. It is found that (1) the kind of the microstructure transforms from compact clusters to a loose network as the concentration of particles increases; (2) the microstructure is independent of shear rate which only dominates the size of clusters formed at steady state.

MICROSTRUCTURE OF AGGREGATES IN DISPERSIONS DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF RADIAL DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION

Following a sticky particle model and its computer simulation scheme proposed in the previous papers, the motions of particles in both 2- and 3-dimensional shear flow fields are simulated. At a steady state of clustering process, the radial distribution functions are calculated to precisely describe the microstructure of aggregates in dispersions, and the configuration of particles is displayed, which gives a direct view of microstructure. It is found that (1) the kind of the microstructure transforms from compact clusters to a loose network as the concentration of particles increases; (2) the microstructure is independent of shear rate which only dominates the size of clusters formed at steady state.