Age-independent process in aging hard-sphere suspensions; The beta-process and its ramifications

TL;DR

This paper investigates the age-independent beta-process in aging hard-sphere suspensions near the glass transition, revealing a direct connection between reversible dynamics and irreversible aging, supported by mode coupling theory and spin-glass predictions.

Contribution

It provides a direct, parameter-free analysis of the beta-process and links reversible and irreversible dynamics in aging suspensions.

Findings

Age-independent current correlation functions

Power-law behavior of the beta process

Validation of spin-glass theory predictions

Abstract

We consider the dynamics of a suspension of hard sphere-like particles in the proximity of its glass transition, the region where the intermediate scattering functions show significant aging. The time correlation function of the longitudinal particle current shows no dependence on age and reveals behaviour of ideal super-packed fluid and glass. The power laws of the beta process of the idealised mode coupling theory are exposed directly without reliance on fitting parameters. We proffer a mechanism linking the reversible/ageless dynamics, which constitutes the beta-process, and the irreversible aging dynamics. The latter verifies predictions of spin-glass theories.