Discontinuous switching of position of two coexisting phases
Discontinuous switching of position of two coexisting phases
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DOI：
10.1088/1367-2630/aad173
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发表时间：
2018-07-27
影响因子：
3.3
通讯作者：
Juelicher, Frank
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Krueger, Samuel;Weber, Christoph A.;Juelicher, Frank
液-液相分离导致形成与流体共存的凝聚相。在这里，我们研究如何通过使用影响相分离的调节剂的浓度梯度来控制凝聚相的位置。我们考虑三元混合物的平均场模型，其中调节剂的浓度梯度由外部电势施加。发生新颖的一阶相变，其中凝聚相的位置以不连续的方式切换。这种机制可能对生物细胞的空间组织产生影响，并为微流体系统中的液滴提供控制机制。
Liquid-liquid phase separation leads to the formation of condensed phases that coexist with a fluid. Here we investigate how the positions of a condensed phase can be controlled by using concentration gradients of a regulator that influences phase separation. We consider a mean field model of a ternary mixture where a concentration gradient of a regulator is imposed by an external potential. A novel first order phase transition occurs at which the position of the condensed phase switches in a discontinuous manner. This mechanism could have implications for the spatial organisation of biological cells and provides a control mechanism for droplets in microfluidic systems.