Columnar and lamellar phases in attractive colloidal systems

Abstract

In colloidal suspensions, the competition between attractive and repulsive interactions gives rise to a rich and complex phenomenology. Here, we study the equilibrium phase diagram of a model system using a DLVO interaction potential by means of molecular dynamics simulations and a thermodynamical approach. As a result, we find tubular and lamellar phases at low volume fraction. Such phases, extremely relevant for designing new materials, may be not easily observed in the experiments because of the long relaxation times and the presence of defects.