Thermodynamics predicts a stable microdroplet phase in polymer-gel mixtures undergoing elastic phase separation.
Thermodynamics predicts a stable microdroplet phase in polymer-gel mixtures undergoing elastic phase separation.
复制标题
热力学预测在经历弹性相分离的聚合物-凝胶混合物中会出现稳定的微滴相。
作者：
Biswas S
我们研究了少数组分的体积分数小于形成平面界面所需量的二元混合物的热力学，并表明表面张力主导的混合物平衡相形成单个宏观液滴。凝胶-聚合物混合物中的弹性相互作用稳定了具有多个液滴的相。利用平均场自由能，我们计算了液滴尺寸作为界面张力、Flory参数和凝胶弹性模量的函数。我们的结果说明了弹性相互作用在决定生物聚合物进行液-液相分离的相行为中的作用。
We study the thermodynamics of binary mixtures with the volume fraction of the minority component less than the amount required to form a flat interface and show that the surface tension dominated equilibrium phase of the mixture forms a single macroscopic droplet. Elastic interactions in gel–polymer mixtures stabilize a phase with multiple droplets. Using a mean-field free energy we compute the droplet size as a function of the interfacial tension, Flory parameter, and elastic moduli of the gel. Our results illustrate the role of elastic interactions in dictating the phase behavior of biopolymers undergoing liquid-liquid phase separation.