Preparation and observation of jammed particles with power size distribution

Abstract

Several materials, such as rocks, powders and molecules, are multi-component systems. However, compared to single-component systems, it is difficult to understand the physical component. In this study, as a coarse-grained model for powders with extremely large size variations, we experimentally and numerically filled circular particles with a power size distribution and investigated their structure at the jamming transition point. In the experiment, oil in water droplets following a power size distribution were created, and then we constructed a model with steady injection and fracture to explain the size distribution. In numerical calculations, the dependence of the packing structure on the exponent of the particle size distribution was investigated. The existence of fractal structure with cutoffs was experimentally and numerically found from the structure factor. Numerical calculations show that the area fraction of rattlers is almost independent of exponent, but the number fraction is significantly dependent.