Title: Recent advances on modelling of structures of multi-component mixtures using a sphere packing approach

Authors: Larysa Burtseva; Benjamin Valdez Salas; Rainier Romero; Frank Werner

Addresses: Engineering Institute, Autonomous University of Baja California, Calle de la Normal, S/N, Insurgentes Este, 21280, Mexicali, B.C., México ' Engineering Institute, Autonomous University of Baja California, Calle de la Normal, S/N, Insurgentes Este, 21280, Mexicali, B.C., México ' Engineering in Information Technology, Polytechnic University of Baja California, Calle de la Claridad S/N, Col. Plutarco Elias Calles, 21376, Mexicali, B.C., Mexico ' Faculty of Mathematics, Otto-von-Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106, Magdeburg, Germany

Abstract: This paper summarises theoretical and applied studies of the structure of mixtures, formulated as the packing of spheres with different sizes. The effects of the particle size and the shape (fine or coarse) on the packing density are described. We discuss the relationships between the particle size distribution and the packing properties. We also sketch the major approaches, which can be usefully applied in nanotechnologies for the modelling of a material structure. Such a kind of analysis can be used both in the theoretical consideration of material engineering problems and in the chemical industry. Potential applications of these results include a synthesis of nanomaterials, adsorbents, catalyst carriers and packing for chromatography columns.

Keywords: Voronoi diagram; mathematical tessellation; Delaunay triangulation; Laguerre geometry; modelling; multi-component mixtures; sphere packing; particle shape; packing density; particle size distribution; packing properties; nanotechnology; material structure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2016.074522

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2016 Vol.13 No.1/2/3, pp.44 - 59

Published online: 04 Feb 2016 *

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