EPJ E Topical Issue: Charged Species in Bulk and at Interfaces: Interaction, Mobility, Transport, and Regulation

Details

Published on 06 May 2025

Guest Editors: Emanuela Bianchi, Jan K.G. Dhont, Gerhard Kahl, Kyongok Kang and Holger Stark.

The topical issue titled “Charged Species in Bulk and at Interfaces: Interaction, Mobility, Transport, and Regulation” is derived from a series of three CECAM workshops held in 2016, 2018, and 2022. The aim of this issue is to advance our understanding of the complex phenomena surrounding charged species in various environments from a fundamental perspective, with some excursions into practical applications. The issue addresses the characterization of the interactions between a broad variety of charged species as well as of the complex macroscopic behaviour arising from these interactions. Modelling pair interactions between highly charged macromolecules and surfaces resulting from (possibly mobile) charges presents significant challenges; equally challenging is understanding how these interactions govern self-assembly, assembly kinetics, transport in dense systems, response to external electric fields, and regulatory mechanisms. In particular, the transport of charged species, both in bulk and at interfaces, has garnered significant attention due to its fundamental and technological implications. The role of electrostatics and dynamics in biological systems – spanning a wide range of length scales has become a rapidly growing area of research.

The Collection covers the following subjects: computational approaches to lipid-based nucleic acid delivery systems, effective interactions and phase behaviour of protein solutions in the presence of hexamine cobalt (III) chloride, phase transitions of ionic fluids in nanoporous electrodes, effect of repulsive interaction and initial velocity on collective motion process, as well the microfluidic platform for synthesis of polymer and polymer-protein-based protocells. In the fundamental aspect, a hard sphere model for single-file water transport across biological membranes, local electroneutrality breakdown for electrolytes within varying-section nanopores, and Ions and dipoles in electric field: nonlinear polarization and field-dependent chemical reaction are presented.

All articles of this collection are available here and are freely accessible until 30 May 2025. For further information read the Editorial.