Universality of colloid aggregation in the reaction limit: The computer simulations

Abstract

Understanding aggregation phenomena is fundamental in colloid science. Recent experimental work has shown that colloid aggregation is universal, independent of the chemical details of the particular colloid system. Although it had been possible to obtain this universality in the diffusion limit via computer simulations, the simulations, the reaction limit remained elusive to simulators. Here is described how the results of different algorithms have led us to consider the correct one, for which the universality is obtained. The important mechanisms of reaction-limited colloid aggregation are therefore fully identified.