Chemical-reaction-controlled phase separated drops: formation, size selection, and coarsening
File(s)
Author(s)
Wurtz, Jean David
Lee, Chiu Fan
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Phase separation under nonequilibrium conditions is exploited by biological cells to organize their cytoplasm but remains poorly understood as a physical phenomenon. Here, we study a ternary fluid model in which phase-separating molecules can be converted into soluble molecules, and vice versa, via chemical reactions. We elucidate using analytical and simulation methods how drop size, formation, and coarsening can be controlled by the chemical reaction rates, and categorize the qualitative behavior of the system into distinct regimes. Ostwald ripening arrest occurs above critical reaction rates, demonstrating that this transition belongs entirely to the nonequilibrium regime. Our model is a minimal representation of the cell cytoplasm.
Date Issued
2018-02-16
Date Acceptance
2018-01-19
Citation
Physical Review Letters, 2018, 120 (7), pp.1-5
ISSN
0031-9007
Publisher
American Physical Society
Start Page
1
End Page
5
Journal / Book Title
Physical Review Letters
Volume
120
Issue
7
Copyright Statement
© 2018 American Physical Society
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000424968400009&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Physics
STRESS GRANULES
TRANSITIONS
MECHANISM
MIXTURES
DROPLETS
KINETICS
CELLS
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
078102
Date Publish Online
2018-02-14