2011/03/14 by Yasheng Yang, Yang, Yasheng, Edward Barry +5
Computer Science · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Micro and Nano Robotics #Mobile Crowdsensing and Crowdsourcing #Modular Robots and Swarm Intelligence #Soft Condensed Matter (cond-mat.soft) #cond-mat.soft
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1103.2760
4 pages, 4 figures
arxiv created 2011/03/14 · openalex publication_date 2011/03/14 · arxiv updated 2011/03/15 · openalex created_date 2019/06/27 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We elucidate the molecular forces leading to 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. We perform simulations which 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 using an experimental 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.