Tailoring the flow of soft glasses by soft additives

• Published in: Physical review letters Vol. 95; no. 26; pp. 268301.1 - 268301.4
• Main Authors: ZACCARELLI, E, MAYER, C, VLASSOPOULOS, D, ASTERIADI, A, LIKOS, C. N, SCIORTINO, F, ROOVERS, J, IATROU, H, HADJICHRISTIDIS, N, TARTAGLIA, P, LÖWEN, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ridge, NY American Physical Society 31-12-2005
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Computer Simulation; Exact sciences and technology; Glass - chemistry; Microfluidics - methods; Models, Chemical; Organic polymers; Phase Transition; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymers - chemistry; Properties and characterization; Structure, morphology and analysis; Viscosity; Glass transition; Mode coupling; Polymer blends; Phase diagram; Butadiene polymer; Glass; Star polymer; Kinetic theory; Repulsion interaction; Rheological properties
• ISSN: 0031-9007; 1079-7114
• DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.95.268301

We examine the vitrification and melting of asymmetric star polymer mixtures by combining rheological measurements with mode coupling theory. We identify two types of glassy states, a single glass, in which the small component is fluid in the glassy matrix of the big one, and a double glass, in which both components are vitrified. Addition of small-star polymers leads to melting of both glasses, and the melting curve has a nonmonotonic dependence on the star-star size ratio. The phenomenon opens new ways for externally steering the rheological behavior of soft matter systems.