Related papers: Dielectric effects in the self-assembly of binary …
We compute the electronic structure of two-dimensional (2D) materials decorated with self-assembled organic monolayers using density functional theory. We find that 2D materials are strongly impacted by near-field electrostatic effects…
Applying an electric field to an aqueous colloidal dispersion establishes a complex interplay of forces among the highly mobile simple ions, the more highly charged but less mobile colloidal spheres, and the surrounding water. This…
Many types of mammalian cells exert active contractile forces and mechanically deform their elastic substrate, to accomplish biological functions such as cell migration. These substrate deformations provide a mechanism by which cells can…
A crystalline solid is a periodic sequence of identical cells, each containing one or more atoms. If the constituting unit cell is not centrosymmetric, charge may distribute unevenly between the atoms, resulting in internal electric…
We report a computational strategy to obtain the charges of individual dielectric particles from experimental observation of their interactions as a function of time. This strategy uses evolutionary optimization to minimize the difference…
We show that electrodynamic dipolar interactions, responsible for long-range fluctuations in matter, play a significant role in the stability of molecular crystals. Density functional theory calculations with van der Waals interactions…
Field-induced assembly of colloidal particles into structures of desired configurations is extremely relevant from the viewpoint of producing field-assembled micro-swimmers and reconfigurable smart materials. However, the behaviour of…
Nonreciprocal interactions have recently attracted growing interest in nonequilibrium physics. In particular, breaking action-reaction symmetry has been proposed as a mechanism for collective motion, yet controlled experimental realizations…
Complexation in symmetric solutions of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes is studied theoretically. We include polyion crosslinking due to formation of thermoreversible ionic pairs. The electrostatic free energy is calculated within the…
We performed experimental studies of the effect of humidity on the dynamics of electrostatically-driven granular materials. Both conducting and dielectric particles undergo a phase transition from an immobile state (granular solid) to a…
Effective colloid-colloid interactions can be tailored through the addition of a complex cosolute. Here we investigate the case of a cosolute made by self-assembling patchy particles. Depending on the valence, these particles can form…
While the important role of electrostatic interactions in aqueous colloidal suspensions is widely known and reasonably well-understood, the relevance of charge in nonpolar suspensions remains mysterious. We demonstrate that particles can…
The dielectric nature of polar liquids underpins much of their ability to act as useful solvents, but its description is complicated by the long-ranged nature of dipolar interactions. This is particularly pronounced under the periodic…
The recent experimental discovery of ferroelectric and splay nematic phases has sparked interest in comprehending the crucial molecular features necessary to stabilize these innovative structures. This study advances the ongoing discourse…
This paper focuses on the homogenization of high-contrast dielectric elastomer composites, materials that deform in response to electrical stimulation. The considered heterogeneous material consisting of an ambient material with inserted…
We demonstrate that an applied electric field causes piezoelectric distortion across single molecular monolayers of oligopeptides. We deposited self-assembled monolayers ~1.5 nm high onto smooth gold surfaces. These monolayers exhibit…
A heterogeneous and dilute suspension of catalytically active colloids is studied as a non-equilibrium analogue of ionic systems, which has the remarkable feature of action-reaction symmetry breaking. Symmetrically coated colloids are found…
The magnetoelectric (ME) effects are caused by interactions of the electrical and magnetic subsystems in a solid. Among the applications of ME effects, there are methods of magnetic reversal under the influence of an electrostatic field and…
We investigate the phase behaviour of mixtures of two populations of colloidal particles dispersed in a binary solvent system near its critical composition. The surfaces of particles are chemically modified to elicit a specific solvent…
Negative activation volumes for dielectric relaxation are rarely reported in solid state physics and are limited to atomic scale processes. Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy on heterogeneous systems, such as polycrystalline calcite and…