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Emergent localization phenomena in polymer-induced orientation in confined spherical compartments

Ana Cazorla, Ángel V. Delgado, and María L. Jiménez*

  • *Contact author: jimenezo@ugr.es
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Phys. Rev. E 111, L043403 – Published 22 April, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.111.L043403

Abstract

In nanomaterials and microreactor technology, the intricate phenomena of localization, that is, the inhomogeneous spatial distribution of a physical property, serve as a booster for advancing innovative applications. In this work, we show from simple physical arguments that such spatial segregation can be spontaneously produced in mixtures of silver nanowires and DNA solution confined inside microdroplets. In particular, a reversible quadrupolar redistribution of the particles can be obtained by applying low frequency electric fields. As a consequence, the localization of the electro-orientation of the particles appears, which is induced by the interplay between the steric repulsion of the nanowires, the electrically stretched DNA coils, and the microdroplet wall, together with the DNA mediated depletion effects. We show, both experimentally and via Monte Carlo simulations, that particle segregation results in a decrease of the overall particle alignment.

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Information

Phys. Rev. E 111, L043403– Published 22 April, 2025
  • Received 24 October 2024
  • Revised 17 February 2025
  • Accepted 27 March 2025
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