We present a numerical/theoretical approach to efficiently evaluate the phase diagram of self-assembling DNA nanostars. Combining input information based on a realistic coarse-grained DNA potential with the Wertheim association theory, we derive a parameter-free thermodynamic description of these systems. We apply this method to investigate the phase behavior of single components and mixtures of DNA nanostars with different numbers of sticky arms, elucidating the role of the system functionality and of salt concentration. Specifically, we evaluate the propensity to demix, the gas liquid phase boundaries and the location of the critical points. The predicted critical parameters compare very well with existing experimental results for the available compositions. The approach developed here is very general, easily extensible to other all-DNA systems, and provides guidance for future experiments.

Condensation and Demixing in Solutions of DNA Nanostars and Their Mixtures / Locatelli, Emanuele; Handle, ; Sciortino, Francesco; Rovigatti, Lorenzo. - In: ACS NANO. - ISSN 1936-0851. - 11:2(2017), pp. 2094-2102. [10.1021/acsnano.6b08287]

Condensation and Demixing in Solutions of DNA Nanostars and Their Mixtures

SCIORTINO, Francesco;Rovigatti Lorenzo
2017

Abstract

We present a numerical/theoretical approach to efficiently evaluate the phase diagram of self-assembling DNA nanostars. Combining input information based on a realistic coarse-grained DNA potential with the Wertheim association theory, we derive a parameter-free thermodynamic description of these systems. We apply this method to investigate the phase behavior of single components and mixtures of DNA nanostars with different numbers of sticky arms, elucidating the role of the system functionality and of salt concentration. Specifically, we evaluate the propensity to demix, the gas liquid phase boundaries and the location of the critical points. The predicted critical parameters compare very well with existing experimental results for the available compositions. The approach developed here is very general, easily extensible to other all-DNA systems, and provides guidance for future experiments.
2017
DNA nanostars; Wertheim theory; binary mixtures; coexistence; DNA hydrogels
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Condensation and Demixing in Solutions of DNA Nanostars and Their Mixtures / Locatelli, Emanuele; Handle, ; Sciortino, Francesco; Rovigatti, Lorenzo. - In: ACS NANO. - ISSN 1936-0851. - 11:2(2017), pp. 2094-2102. [10.1021/acsnano.6b08287]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/978564
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