145 research outputs found
Non-equilibrium interface equations: An application to thermo-capillary motion in binary systems
Interface equations are derived for both binary diffusive and binary fluid
systems subjected to non-equilibrium conditions, starting from the
coarse-grained (mesoscopic) models. The equations are used to describe
thermo-capillary motion of a droplet in both purely diffusive and fluid cases,
and the results are compared with numerical simulations. A mesoscopic chemical
potential shift, owing to the temperature gradient, and associated mesoscopic
corrections involved in droplet motion are elucidated.Comment: 12 pages; Latex, revtex, ap
Entropically Driven Formation of Hierarchically Ordered Nanocomposites
Using theoretical models, we undertake the first investigation into the rich behavior that emerges when binary particle mixtures are blended with microphase-separating copolymers. We isolate an example of coupled self-assembly in such materials, where the system undergoes a nanoscale ordering of the particles along with a phase transformation in the copolymer matrix. Furthermore, the self-assembly is driven by entropic effects involving all the different components. The results reveal that entropy can be exploited to create highly ordered nanocomposites with potentially unique electronic and photonic properties. © 2002 The American Physical Society
Self-assembly of a binary mixture of particles and diblock copolymers
Using theoretical models, we undertake the first investigation into the synergy and rich phase behavior that emerges when binary particle mixtures are blended with microphase-separating copolymers. We isolate an example of spontaneous hierarchical self-assembly in such hybrid materials, where the system exhibits both nanoscopic ordering of the particles and macroscopic phase transformation in the copolymer matrix. Furthermore, the self-assembly is driven by entropic effects involving all the different components. The results reveal that entropy can be exploited to create highly ordered nanocomposites with potentially unique electronic and photonic properties. © 2003 The Royal Society of Chemistry
Dynamics of Phase Behavior of a Polymer Blend Under Shear Flow
We study the dynamics of the phase behavior of a polymer blend in the
presence of shear flow. By adopting a two fluid picture and using a
generalization of the concept of material derivative, we construct kinetic
equations that describe the phase behavior of polymer blends in the presence of
external flow. A phenomenological form for the shear modulus for the blend is
proposed. The study indicates that a nonlinear dependence of the shear modulus
of the blend on the volume fraction of one of the species is crucial for a
shift in the stability line to be induced by shear flow.Comment: 16 pages, late
Simple biophysics underpins collective conformations of the intrinsically disordered proteins of the Nuclear Pore Complex
Nuclear Pore Complexes (NPCs) are key cellular transporter that control nucleocytoplasmic transport in eukaryotic cells, but its transport mechanism is still not understood. The centerpiece of NPC transport is the assembly of intrinsically disordered polypeptides, known as FG nucleoporins, lining its passageway. Their conformations and collective dynamics during transport are difficult to assess in vivo. In vitro investigations provide partially conflicting results, lending support to different models of transport, which invoke various conformational transitions of the FG nucleoporins induced by the cargo-carrying transport proteins. We show that the spatial organization of FG nucleoporin assemblies with the transport proteins can be understood within a first principles biophysical model with a minimal number of key physical variables, such as the average protein interaction strengths and spatial densities. These results address some of the outstanding controversies and suggest how molecularly divergent NPCs in different species can perform essentially the same function
A phase-field model of Hele-Shaw flows in the high viscosity contrast regime
A one-sided phase-field model is proposed to study the dynamics of unstable
interfaces of Hele-Shaw flows in the high viscosity contrast regime. The
corresponding macroscopic equations are obtained by means of an asymptotic
expansion from the phase-field model. Numerical integrations of the phase-field
model in a rectangular Hele-Shaw cell reproduce finger competition with the
final evolution to a steady state finger the width of which goes to one half of
the channel width as the velocity increases
Phase-field model for Hele-Shaw flows with arbitrary viscosity contrast. II. Numerical study
We implement a phase-field simulation of the dynamics of two fluids with
arbitrary viscosity contrast in a rectangular Hele-Shaw cell. We demonstrate
the use of this technique in different situations including the linear regime,
the stationary Saffman-Taylor fingers and the multifinger competition dynamics,
for different viscosity contrasts. The method is quantitatively tested against
analytical predictions and other numerical results. A detailed analysis of
convergence to the sharp interface limit is performed for the linear dispersion
results. We show that the method may be a useful alternative to more
traditional methods.Comment: 13 pages in revtex, 5 PostScript figures. changes: 1 reference added,
figs. 4 and 5 rearrange
Profile and width of rough interfaces
In the context of Landau theory and its field theoretical refinements,
interfaces between coexisting phases are described by intrinsic profiles. These
intrinsic interface profiles, however, are neither directly accessible by
experiment nor by computer simulation as they are broadened by long-wavelength
capillary waves. In this paper we study the separation of the small scale
intrinsic structure from the large scale capillary wave fluctuations in the
Monte Carlo simulated three-dimensional Ising model. To this purpose, a
blocking procedure is applied, using the block size as a variable cutoff, and a
translationally invariant method to determine the interface position of
strongly fluctuating profiles on small length scales is introduced. While the
capillary wave picture is confirmed on large length scales and its limit of
validity is estimated, an intrinsic regime is, contrary to expectations, not
observed.Comment: 18 pages, 4 Postscript figures, LaTeX2e, formulation of sec.3.2
improved, 1 reference adde
Statics and Dynamics of an Interface in a Temperature Gradient
The response and nonconserved dynamics of a two-phase interface in the
presence of a temperature gradient oriented normally to the interface are
considered. Two types of boundary conditions on the order parameter are
considered, and the structure of the effective free energy and the Langevin
equation for the collective coordinate specifying the interface position are
analyzed.Comment: 15 pages, Revtex 3.0, 5 figures available upon reques
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