Theory for dynamical self arrest and gelation in microemulsions and the block copolymer systems
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Abstract
Complex materials like microemulsions and block copolymers exhibit ordinary phase transitions but also various crossover and slow dynamics, reminescent of gels and glasses. Using a replica approach, we present a theory for self generated randomness in such systems. This yields a dynamical arrest similar to what occurs in a structural glasses with Kauzmann temperature, TK, and dynamical crossover temperature, TA, at which the viscosity diverges within mode coupling theory. In the region TK < T < TA, the numerous metastable states becomes exponentially large and the system's dynamics becomes very slow, eventually leading to glassy behavior. We use analytical and numerical methods combined with the replica approach to study uniformly frustrated system such as microemulsions and block copolymers.;A dynamical self arrest in microemulsions and in block copolymers for different volume fraction, f(f = SA/S) and a physical gelation of a triblock copolymer with a hydrophobic end groups will be discussed.