Kavli Affiliate: Rudolf Podgornik
| First 5 Authors: Rashmi Kandari, Rashmi Kandari, , ,
| Summary:
Precisely controlling the surface charge of zwitterionic macromolecules is
crucial for tailoring their properties and optimizing them for specific
applications. Here, we present a generalized calculation scheme for determining
the screening length in solutions containing zwitterionic macroions, where the
charge of the macroion is controlled by the electrolyte solution. This scheme
bypasses the need to solve the Poisson Boltzmann equation by expressing the
inverse screening parameter in terms of the derivative of pressure with respect
to chemical potential. The scheme reveals that the screening length has two
components: one related to the Debye length with effective charges, and another
stemming from the macroion surface dissociation equilibrium, which exhibits a
screening resonance behavior. Furthermore, we find that the nonuniform surface
charge distribution induced by pH responsive charge regulation strongly affects
the screening behavior. The charge regulation properties of macroions, even in
dilute solutions, are a key factor in the screening of electrostatic
interactions, offering insights into complex biological and nanomaterial
systems.
| Search Query: ArXiv Query: search_query=au:”Rudolf Podgornik”&id_list=&start=0&max_results=3