When a crystal melts into a liquid both long-ranged positional and orientational order are lost, and long-time translational and rotational self-diffusion appear. Sometimes, these properties do not change at once, but in stages, allowing states of matter such as liquid crystals or plastic crystals with unique combinations of properties. Plastic crystals/glasses are characterized by long-ranged positional order/frozen-in-disorder but short-ranged orientational order, which is dynamic. Here we show by quantitative three-dimensional studies that charged rod-like colloidal particles form three-dimensional plastic crystals and glasses if their repulsions extend significantly beyond their length. These plastic phases can be reversibly switched to full crystals by an electric field. These new phases provide insight into the role of rotations in phase behaviour and could be useful for photonic applications.
In situ monitoring of the interfacial processes in working all-solid-state lithium–sulfur batteries provides deep insights into the degradation mechanisms and temperature dependence.
Phase II: Eine neue Methode der Zweiphasenpfropfung an der Grenzfläche einer Pickering‐Emulsion führt zur Bildung von Janus‐Kolloiden (siehe Schema; ATRP: Atomtransferradikalpolymerisation), aus denen sich durch bevorzugtes Wachstum eines Materials in spezifischen Bereichen des ursprünglichen Kolloids Janus‐Kompositkolloide erhalten lassen. Der Ansatz ist universell und kann auf die Synthese vielzähliger Kolloide ausgedehnt werden.
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