‘Physics of Surface Segregation: from Industrial Formulations to Biology’
by Dr Buddhapriya Chakrabarti, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University Of Sheffield, Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK.
Abstract:
When a complex mixture of two or more motile polymers with a surface exposed to the atmosphere are equilibrated, the low molecular weight component preferentially migrates to the surface. This phenomenon termed surface migration plagues many industrial formulations from hygiene care to paint to chocolate. The physics of phase separation and wetting phenomena underpin this fascinating field. I will discuss how a theoretical understanding of surface segregation in synthetic formulation across multiple scales can provide insights to many biophysical processes implicated in cellular behaviour such as liquid-liquid phase separation, chromatin organization, viral packing, and rounding behaviour observed in dividing cells.
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