Non-equilibrium adsorption of 2AnB patchy colloids on substrates

Abstract

We study the irreversible adsorption of spherical 2AnB patchy colloids (with two A-patches on the poles and n B-patches along the equator) on a substrate. In particular, we consider dissimilar AA, AB, and BB binding probabilities. We characterize the patch–colloid network and its dependence on n and on the binding probabilities. Two growth regimes are identified with different density profiles and we calculate a growth mode diagram as a function of the colloid parameters. We also find that, close to the substrate, the density of the network, which depends on the colloid parameters, is characterized by a depletion zone.