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arXiv · cond-mat/0209332

Raft Instability of Biopolymer Gels

I. Borukhov·R. F. Bruinsma
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Abstract

Following recent X-ray diffraction experiments by Wong, Li, and Safinya on biopolymer gels, we apply Onsager excluded volume theory to a nematic mixture of rigid rods and strong ``$π/2$'' cross-linkers obtaining a long-ranged, highly anisotropic depletion attraction between the linkers. This attraction leads to breakdown of the percolation theory for this class of gels, to breakdown of Onsager's second-order virial method, and to formation of heterogeneities in the form of raft-like ribbons.

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I. Borukhov, R. F. Bruinsma. 2002-09-13. Raft Instability of Biopolymer Gels. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.87.158101

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