Zwicker Group
@zwickergroup.bsky.social
Theoretical biophysics group at MPI-DS, Göttingen. We study the spatiotemporal organization of soft matter in cells, tissues, and synthetic systems; see www.zwickergroup.org
Yicheng discovered that driven chemical reactions between solvent components can induce a pressure difference at interfaces (arxiv.org/abs/2508.09816). This can lead to fun effects, including self-propulsion, and showcases the surprising versatility of chemically active emulsions.
September 12, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Yicheng discovered that driven chemical reactions between solvent components can induce a pressure difference at interfaces (arxiv.org/abs/2508.09816). This can lead to fun effects, including self-propulsion, and showcases the surprising versatility of chemically active emulsions.
The main point is that the salt ions, that usually neutralize charges locally and thus mediate screening, can be affected by phase separation. In our example, salt ions get expelled from droplets, so droplets acquire a net charge, and cannot grow indefinitely; see attached MD simulations.
January 23, 2025 at 7:39 AM
The main point is that the salt ions, that usually neutralize charges locally and thus mediate screening, can be affected by phase separation. In our example, salt ions get expelled from droplets, so droplets acquire a net charge, and cannot grow indefinitely; see attached MD simulations.