Segregation and phase inversion of strongly and weakly fluctuated Brownian particle mixtures in spherical containers

TL;DR

This study explores how mixtures of strongly and weakly fluctuated Brownian particles segregate and invert their phase distribution within spherical containers, revealing size-dependent patterns and mechanisms relevant to biopolymer behavior.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates size-dependent segregation and phase inversion patterns in Brownian particle mixtures confined in spherical containers, including chain-like structures without linear potential.

Findings

Weakly fluctuated particles accumulate at the center in large containers.

Strongly fluctuated particles dominate the center in small containers.

Phase inversion occurs depending on container size and particle fluctuation strength.

Abstract

We investigate the segregation pattern formations of strongly and weakly fluctuated Brownian particle mixtures, which are confined in spherical containers with finite volumes. We consider systems where the container restricts the motions of particles combining two familiar methods: spherically symmetric linear potential and the container edge wall. In such systems, the following two segregation patterns are observed. When the container radius is large enough, more weakly fluctuated particles accumulate around the center of the container than strongly fluctuated particles. On the other hand, inverted distributions of strongly and weakly fluctuated particles are observed when the container radius is small. We also found a similar segregation and phase inversion if such particle mixtures construct a chain (hetero-fluctuated polymer) and are confined in a container with no linear potential. We provide the qualitative mechanism and the relationships for the biopolymer behaviors of such phase inversions.