Is Random Close Packing of Spheres Well Defined?

S. Torquato; T. M. Truskett; P. G. Debenedetti

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.2064

Is Random Close Packing of Spheres Well Defined?

S. Torquato, T. M. Truskett, and P. G. Debenedetti

Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 2064 – Published 6 March 2000

Abstract

Despite its long history, there are many fundamental issues concerning random packings of spheres that remain elusive, including a precise definition of random close packing (RCP). We argue that the current picture of RCP cannot be made mathematically precise and support this conclusion via a molecular dynamics study of hard spheres using the Lubachevsky-Stillinger compression algorithm. We suggest that this impasse can be broken by introducing the new concept of a maximally random jammed state, which can be made precise.

Received 1 November 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.2064

Authors & Affiliations

S. Torquato^1,*, T. M. Truskett², and P. G. Debenedetti²

¹Department of Chemistry and Princeton Materials Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
²Department of Chemical Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544