Issue 3, 2012

Self-assembly of 2D membranes from mixtures of hard rods and depleting polymers

Abstract

We combine simulations and experiments to elucidate the molecular forces leading to the assembly of two dimensional membrane-like structures composed of a one rod-length thick monolayer of aligned rods from an immiscible suspension of hard rods and depleting polymers. Computer simulations predict that monolayer membranes are thermodynamically stable above a critical rod aspect ratio and below a critical depletion interaction length scale. Outside of these conditions alternative structures such as stacked smectic columns or nematic droplets are thermodynamically stable. These predictions are confirmed by subsequent experiments using a model system of virus rod-like molecules and non-adsorbing polymer. Our work demonstrates that collective molecular protrusion fluctuations alone are sufficient to stabilize membranes composed of homogenous rods with simple excluded volume interactions.

Graphical abstract: Self-assembly of 2D membranes from mixtures of hard rods and depleting polymers

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 Jun 2011
Accepted
11 Oct 2011
First published
07 Nov 2011

Soft Matter, 2012,8, 707-714

Self-assembly of 2D membranes from mixtures of hard rods and depleting polymers

Y. Yang, E. Barry, Z. Dogic and M. F. Hagan, Soft Matter, 2012, 8, 707 DOI: 10.1039/C1SM06201H

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