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Designing stimulus-sensitive colloidal walkers.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Martinez-Veracoechea, Francisco J 
Mognetti, Bortolo M 
Angioletti-Uberti, Stefano 
Varilly, Patrick 

Abstract

Colloidal particles with DNA "legs" that can bind reversibly to receptors on a surface can be made to 'walk' if there is a gradient in receptor concentration. We use a combination of theory and Monte Carlo simulations to explore how controllable parameters, e.g. coating density and binding strength, affect the dynamics of such colloids. We find that competition between thermodynamic and kinetic trends imply that there is an optimal value for both the binding strength and the number of "legs" for which transport is the fastest. Using available thermodynamic data on DNA binding, we indicate how directionally reversible, temperature-controlled transport of colloidal walkers can be achieved. In particular, the present results should make it possible to design a chromatographic technique that can be used to separate colloids with different DNA functionalizations.

Description

Keywords

Algorithms, Colloids, DNA, Kinetics, Monte Carlo Method, Particle Size, Polymers, Surface Properties, Temperature, Thermodynamics

Journal Title

Soft Matter

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1744-683X
1744-6848

Volume Title

10

Publisher

Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/I001352/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/I000844/1)
The Royal Society (wm072834)
European Commission (234810)
European Research Council (227758)