Soft glassy rheology of supercooled molecular liquids

Dynamic Heterogeneity in the Optical Signals from Single Nano-Objects

In contrast to ensemble-averaged measurements, single-molecule experiments directly display the heterogeneity of molecular properties in space and time. In many complex systems, spatial heterogeneity is regularly accompanied by temporal or dynamic heterogeneity; if a property differs from molecule to molecule, it will often vary in time for one and the same molecule. In this short paper, we discuss a few examples of complex systems where dynamical heterogeneity was observed in single-molecule or single-particle optical signals. For single biomolecules, the first demonstration of dynamic heterogeneity in a single enzyme was provided by Xie and colleagues. Other examples are found in glassy systems, and very recently in the magnetic relaxation of single superparamagnetic nanoparticles. The ubiquity of this phenomenon suggests that, rather than an exception, dynamic heterogeneity is the rule in complex systems with multiple degrees of freedom.

High-throughput nuclear resonance time domain interferometry using annular slits

Nuclear resonance time domain interferometry (NR-TDI) is used to study the slow dynamics of liquids (that do not require Mössbauer isotopes) at atomic and molecular length scales. Here the TDI method of using a stationary two-line magnetized ⁵⁷Fe foil as a source and a stationary single-line stainless steel foil analyzer is employed. The new technique of adding an annular slit in front of a single silicon avalanche photodiode detector enables a wide range of momentum transfers (1 to 100 nm^-1 by varying the distance between the annular slits and sample) with a high count rate of up to 160 Hz with a Δq resolution of ±1.7 nm^-1 at q = 14 nm^-1. The sensitivity of this method in determining relaxation times is quantified and discussed. The Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW) model was used to extract relaxation times for glycerol. These relaxation times give insight into the dynamics of the electron density fluctuations of glycerol as a function of temperature and momentum transfers.

Progress and perspectives in single-molecule optical spectroscopy

We review some of the progress of single-molecule optical experiments in the past 20 years and propose some perspectives for the coming years. We particularly focus on methodological advances in fluorescence, super-resolution, photothermal contrast, and interferometric scattering and briefly discuss a few of the applications. These advances have enabled the exploration of new emitters and quantum optics; the chemistry and biology of complex heterogeneous systems, nanoparticles, and plasmonics; and the detection and study of non-fluorescing and non-absorbing nano-objects. We conclude by proposing some ideas for future experiments. The field will move toward more and better signals of a broader variety of objects and toward a sharper view of the surprising complexity of the nanoscale world of single (bio-)molecules, nanoparticles, and their nano-environments.

Unification of the Rheological Physics of Yield Stress Fluids

The physics above and below the yield stress is unified by a simple model for viscoplasticity that accounts for the nonlinear rheology of multiple yield stress fluids. The model has a rate-dependent relaxation time, allows for plastic deformation below the yield stress, and indicates that rapid elastic deformation aids yielding. A range of commonly observed rheological behaviors are predicted, including the smooth overshoot in the loss modulus and the recently discovered contributions from recoverable and unrecoverable strains in amplitude sweeps.

Photothermal Microscopy: Imaging the Optical Absorption of Single Nanoparticles and Single Molecules

The photothermal (PT) signal arises from slight changes of the index of refraction in a sample due to absorption of a heating light beam. Refractive index changes are measured with a second probing beam, usually of a different color. In the past two decades, this all-optical detection method has reached the sensitivity of single particles and single molecules, which gave birth to original applications in material science and biology. PT microscopy enables shot-noise-limited detection of individual nanoabsorbers among strong scatterers and circumvents many of the limitations of fluorescence-based detection. This review describes the theoretical basis of PT microscopy, the methodological developments that improved its sensitivity toward single-nanoparticle and single-molecule imaging, and a vast number of applications to single-nanoparticle imaging and tracking in material science and in cellular biology.

Correlation of Structure with Crystalline to Amorphous Phase Transitions of 1,3,6-Substituted Fulvene-Derived Molecular Glasses

An investigation into the crystalline to amorphous phase transitions of prepared 1,3,6-substituted pentafulvenes showed the expected reversible heated melt and cooling recrystallization in only a few examples. Systematic incorporation of bulky substituents at the 6-position of the fulvene ring led to the nonreversible thermal behavior, rendering phases that were locked into glassy, vitrified states. These molecular glasses produced physically translucent and amorphous features with glass transition temperatures in the range of 61-77 °C, comparable with high-strength plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate. Additionally, the melting point transitions and the resulting heat of fusion values were found to be directly influenced by the nature of the 6-position substituent. Single crystal X-ray crystallography showed that in some cases, fulvenes possessing fused aromatics exhibited a high degree of intermolecular π-π stacking. These results point to a class of molecular glass formers as host materials possessing tunable bulk properties for potentially new optical applications.

Transient inhomogeneous flow patterns in supercooled liquids under shear

Supercooled liquids and other soft glassy systems show characteristic spatial inhomogeneities in their local dynamical properties. Using detailed molecular dynamics simulations, we find that for sufficiently low temperatures and sufficiently high shear rates supercooled liquids also show transient inhomogeneous flow patterns (shear banding) in the start-up of steady shear flow, similar to what has already been observed for many other soft glassy systems. We verify that the onset of transient shear banding coincides quite well with the appearance of a stress overshoot for temperatures in the supercooled regime. We find that the slower bands adapt less well to the imposed deformation and therefore accumulate higher shear stresses compared to the fast bands at comparable local shear rates. Our results also indicate that the shear rates of the fast and slow bands are adjusted such that the local dissipation rate is approximately the same in both bands.

Heterogeneity in Single-Molecule Observables in the Study of Supercooled Liquids

Bulk approaches to studying heterogeneous systems obscure important details, as they report average behavior rather than the distribution of behaviors in such environments. Small-molecule and polymeric supercooled liquids, which display heterogeneity in their dynamics without an underlying structural heterogeneity that sets those dynamics, are important constituents of this category of condensed matter systems. A variety of approaches have been devised to unravel ensemble averaging in supercooled liquids. This review focuses on the ultimate subensemble approach, single-molecule measurements, as they have been applied to the study of supercooled liquids. We detail how three key experimental observables (single-molecule probe rotation, translation, and fluorescence lifetime) have been employed to provide detail on dynamic heterogeneity in supercooled liquids. Special attention is given to the potential for, but also the challenges in, discriminating spatial and temporal heterogeneity and detailing the length scales and timescales of heterogeneity in these systems.

Dual field nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy in a glass forming EPON 828 epoxy resin

Results of the dual field nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy (NDS) studies in supercooled glass forming epoxy resin EPON 828 are presented. For the NDS, changes of dielectric permittivity induced by DC (rectangular) or AC (sine-wave) pulses of a strong electric field were probed by a weak radio frequency electric field. A clear stretched exponential (x < 1) decay after switching off the DC pulse and a single exponential decay (x = 1) after switching off the AC pulse were found. The same results are presented for preliminary studies in superpressed low molecular glass former di-isobutyl phthalate. This observation may be considered as an argument for the heterogeneous picture of supercooled glass forming materials. The temperature dependences of the stationary responses related to DC and AC strong electric field excitations are also shown. The sensitivity of the applied set up made it possible to detect NDS outputs even for electric fields E(strong) < 10 kV cm(-1), qualitatively weaker than in similar 'nonlinear, dielectric' experimental studies on glass forming materials carried out so far.

Ageing and yield behaviour in model soft colloidal glasses

We use multi-arm star polymers as model soft colloids with tuneable interactions and explore their behaviour in the glassy state. In particular, we perform a systematic rheological study with a well-defined protocol and address aspects of ageing and shear melting of star glasses. Ageing proceeds in two distinct steps: a fast step of O(10(3) s) and a slow step of O(10(4) s). We focus on creep and recovery tests, which reveal a rich, albeit complex response. Although the waiting time, the time between pre-shear (rejuvenation) of the glassy sample and measurement, affects the material's response, it does not play the same role as in other soft glasses. For stresses below the yield value, the creep curve is divided into three regimes with increasing time: viscoplastic, intermediate steady flow (associated with the first ageing step) and long-time evolving elastic solid. This behaviour reflects the interplay between ageing and shear rejuvenation. The yield behaviour, as investigated with the stress-dependent recoverable strain, indicates a highly nonlinear elastic response intermediate between a low-stress Hookean solid and a high-stress viscoelastic liquid, and exemplifies the distinct characteristics of this class of hairy colloids. It appears that a phenomenological classification of different colloidal glasses based on yielding performance may be possible.