Like-charge attraction in a one-dimensional setting: the importance of being odd

DOI10.1088/1361-6404/AA9E80zbMATH Open1390.78019arXiv1801.03418OpenAlexW2775607699MaRDI QIDQ4634767FDOQ4634767

Authors: Emmanuel Trizac, Gabriel Téllez 

Publication date: 11 April 2018

Published in: European Journal of Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: From cement cohesion to DNA condensation, a proper statistical physics treatment of systems with long range forces is important for a number of applications in physics, chemistry, and biology. We compute here the effective force between fixed charged macromolecules, screened by oppositely charged mobile ions (counterions). We treat the problem in a one dimensional configuration, that allows for interesting discussion and derivation of exact results, remaining at a level of mathematical difficulty compatible with an undergraduate course. Emphasis is put on the counter-intuitive but fundamental phenomenon of like-charge attraction, that our treatment brings for the first time to the level of undergraduate teaching. The parity of the number of counterions is shown to play a prominent role, which sheds light on the binding mechanism at work when like-charge macromolecules do attract.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1801.03418

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zbMATH Keywords

colloidselectrostaticslike-charge attraction

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Suspensions (76T20) Motion of charged particles (78A35) Statistical mechanics of nanostructures and nanoparticles (82D80)

Cites Work

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• Exact Statistical Mechanics of a One-Dimensional System with Coulomb Forces

Cited In (4)

• Equivalence between particles and fields: a general statistical mechanics theory for short and long range many-body forces
• Understanding depletion induced like-charge attraction from self-consistent field model
• Attraction of like-charged walls with counterions only: exact results for the 2D cylinder geometry
• Like-charge attraction at short distances in a charge-asymmetric two-dimensional two-component plasma: exact results

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