Self-assembly and packings of quasi-two-dimensional suspensions of colloidal ellipsoids

Abstract

Packing particles or shapes within other shapes under specific constraints is a topic of great significance in various fields, including science, engineering, geology, and economics. In this chapter, we aim to explore the packing behaviour of colloidal ellipsoids in quasi-two-dimensional spatial confinement. Colloids, which are solid particles suspended in a fluid medium, have emerged as a valuable model system for investigating diverse phenomena in nature and technology. Due to their larger size (compared to atoms/molecules), colloids provide microscopic insights at a single-particle resolution, enabling researchers to observe processes and analyse dynamics with greater detail compared to atomic or molecular systems. While the packing behaviour of systems with isotropic shapes and interactions is reasonably well understood, our knowledge about packing particles with shape and/or interaction anisotropy is still in its early stages. Colloidal ellipsoids represent the simplest elementary shape departure from spherical symmetry and therefore offer us a valuable opportunity to advance our understanding in this area. Studying the packing of colloidal ellipsoids in confined geometries is relevant in understanding various phenomena and applications, such as blood circulation dynamics, the design of microfluidic devices, and drug-delivery systems. We can elucidate the microscopic underpinnings of these and other phenomena by investigating how shape and/or interaction anisotropy influence packing and self-assembly in confined spaces.