The effects of restructuring on the geometry of clusters formed by diffusion-limited, ballistic, and reaction-limited cluster–cluster aggregation

Abstract

The effects of simple restructuring mechanisms on the geometry of clusters formed by diffusion-limited, ballistic, and reaction-limited cluster–cluster aggregation have been investigated using three-dimensional off-lattice models. In these models restructuring is allowed to take place immediately after two clusters have contacted each other, but no subsequent restructuring is allowed. Restructuring takes place in three distinct stages and the process can be stopped after each stage. In the case of diffusion-limited cluster–cluster aggregation, the fractal dimensionality is increased from about 1.8 to about 2.1 after the first stage. Complete restructuring increases the fractal dimensionality to about 2.2. Similar but somewhat smaller increases in the fractal dimensionality are found for ballistic and reaction-limited aggregation.