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Sublattice melting is the loss of order of one lattice component in binary or ternary ionic crystals upon increase in temperature. A related transition has been predicted in colloidal crystals. To understand the nature of this transition, we study delocalization in self-assembled, size asymmetric binary colloidal crystals using a generalized molecular dynamics model. Focusing on BCC lattices, we observe a smooth change from localized-to-delocalized interstitial particles for a variety of interaction strengths. Thermodynamic arguments, mainly the absence of a discontinuity in the heat capacity, suggest that the passage from localization-to-delocalization is continuous and not a phase transition. This change is enhanced by lattice vibrations, and the temperature of the onset of delocalization can be tuned by the strength of the interaction between the colloid species. Therefore, the localized and delocalized regimes of the sublattice are dominated by enthalpic and entropic driving forces, respectively. This work sets the stage for future studies of sublattice melting in colloidal systems with different stoichiometries and lattice types, and it provides insights into superionic materials, which have potential for application in energy storage technologies.
We investigate the elastic and yielding properties of two dimensional defect-free mono-crystals made of highly monodisperse droplets. Crystals are compressed between two parallel boundaries of which one acts as a force sensor. As the available space
In superionic compounds one component pre-melts providing high ionic conductivity to solid state electrolytes. Here, we find sublattice melting in colloidal crystals of oppositely charged particles that are highly asymmetric in size and charge in sal
Colloidal crystals formed by size-asymmetric binary particles co-assemble into a wide variety of colloidal compounds with lattices akin to ionic crystals. Recently, a transition from a compound phase with a sublattice of small particles to a metal-li
We sandwich a colloidal gel between two parallel plates and induce a radial flow by lifting the upper plate at a constant velocity. Two distinct scenarios result from such a tensile test: ($i$) stable flows during which the gel undergoes a tensile de
We report on a novel and flexible experiment to investigate the non-equilibrium melting behaviour of model crystals made from charged colloidal spheres. In a slit geometry polycrystalline material formed in a low salt region is driven by hydrostatic