(18g) Dynamics and Assembly of Deformable Objects Using Vertex Model with Thermal Fluctuations

At high enough concentrations, contact among micelles or droplets leads to packings with nonspherical shapes. In this limit, the dynamics and assembly of the suspension depend more on the interfaces between objects than the bulk objects themselves. This has similarities with foams and biological tissues in which the interfaces between deformable objects (gas bubbles or cells) play a critical role. We have adapted vertex models to apply it to the dynamics and assembly of small deformable objects where thermal fluctuations are important. In particular, we have quantified the phase diagram of assembly and kinetics of assembly when a system is quenched into an ordered region of the phase diagram. In 2D thin layers, the coarse-grained nature of the model allows us to quantify crystal grains and the formation of grain boundaries. A unique feature of 3D materials is that multiple ordered states are possible. We have quantified the meta-stability of these ordered states and found transformations between them.