Statistical Mechanics of the Dynamics in Quiescent and Driven Glassy Fluids

Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO

Investigators

Abstract

Grzegorz Szamel of Colorado State University is supported by an award from the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry program to study the dynamics of quiescent and driven glassy fluids, using a combination of numerical simulation and formal statistical mechanics. The research is pursuing three goals: 1) to obtain explicit numerical predictions for the correlation length in quiescent glassy fluids; 2) to develop a new theory for the glass transition that goes beyond mode-coupling theory and 3) to develop a theory for the dynamics of fluctuations in driven glassy fluids. This work is contributing fundamental understanding of several phenomena, such as shear flow, that are important for materials processing leading to fewer defects and better performance.