Soft Matter Electrified II

The association of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes (PE) in solution often results in liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), with the formation of a PE‐rich liquid phase (coacervate) coexisting with a dilute (supernatant) phase. The PE coacervates has received considerable attention in recent years due to their significant application potentials in materials and bioengineering.

Due to their charge-rich nature, PE coacervates are intrinsically responsive to external electric fields, hinting at the opportunity to apply external electric field to control their behavior and guides further design of the materials. However, in the microscopic level, how coacervates respond to electric field remains largely unclear.

In this talk, we will introduce our recent efforts on using computer simulations that integrate electrostatics, hydrodynamics, and polymer characteristics, to systematically explore PE coacervate behavior under external electric fields. We will elucidate the interplay among external field strength/direction, surface tension, and polymer charge asymmetry on the coacervate behavior in bulk and at interfaces. This project will introduce an additional dimension in the control of coacervate behavior to salt and temperature conditions. The insights of the project will provide guidance to novel design of complex coacervation materials for applications involving electric fields, such as in under‐water adhesion, wearable devices, and soft robotics.