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Wigner crystal model of counterion induced bundle formation of rod-like polyelectrolytes

B. I. Shklovskii
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Abstract

A simple electrostatic theory of condensation of rod-like polyelectrolytes under influence of polyvalent ions is proposed. It is based on the idea that Manning condensation of ions results in formation of the Wigner crystal on a background of a bundle of rods. It is shown that, depending on a single dimensionless parameter, this can be the densely packed three-dimensional Wigner crystal or the two-dimensional crystal on the rod surfaces. For DNA the location of charge on the spiral results in a model of the one-dimensional Wigner crystal. It is also argued that the Wigner crystal idea can be applied to self-assembly of other polyelectrolytes, for example, colloids and DNA-lipid complexes.

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B. I. Shklovskii. 1998-10-08. Wigner crystal model of counterion induced bundle formation of rod-like polyelectrolytes. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.82.3268

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