# Statistical analysis of phase formation in 2D colloidal systems

## TL;DR

This paper investigates phase formation in 2D colloidal systems using optical microscopy, analyzing particle arrangements to identify different lattice structures and chain formations as magnetic interactions vary.

## Contribution

It introduces a statistical image analysis method for mapping phases in large colloidal assemblies, revealing structural transitions with changing magnetic interactions.

## Key findings

- Identification of various lattice structures.
- Observation of long-range connected chains.
- Correlation between magnetic interaction tuning and phase formation.

## Abstract

Colloidal systems offer unique opportunities for the study of phase formation and structure since their characteristic length scales are accessible to visible light. As a model system the two dimensional assembly of colloidal magnetic and non-magnetic particles dispersed in a ferrofluid (FF) matrix is studied by transmission optical microscopy. We present a method to statistically evaluate images with thousands of particles and map phases by extraction of local variables. Different lattice structures and long-range connected branching chains are observed, when tuning the effective magnetic interaction and varying particle ratios.