Confined colloidal crystals in and out of equilibrium

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent experimental and computational studies on confined colloidal crystals, exploring their equilibrium structures and how external forces can drive these systems out of equilibrium.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive comparison of experimental results with theoretical models and discusses new ways to manipulate colloidal crystals out of equilibrium.

Findings

Buckling and multilayering in confined charged colloids

Crystalline structures in charged mixtures

External perturbations can induce non-equilibrium states

Abstract

Recent studies on confined crystals of charged colloidal particles are reviewed, both in equilibrium and out of equilibrium. We focus in particular on direct comparisons of experiments (light scattering and microscopy) with lattice sum calculations and computer simulations. In equilibrium we address buckling and crystalline multilayering of charged systems in hard and soft slit confinement. We discuss also recent crystalline structures obtained for charged mixtures. Moreover, we put forward possibilities to apply external perturbations, in order to drive the system out of equilibrium. These include electrolyte gradients as well as the application of shear and electric fields.