Potential curves illustrating a dissipative self-assembly system and the meaning of away-from-equilibrium

TL;DR

This paper discusses potential curves in dissipative self-assembly systems, emphasizing the importance of understanding away-from-equilibrium conditions and clarifying thermodynamic aspects to better interpret non-equilibrium phenomena.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of potential curves in dissipative self-assembly and clarifies thermodynamic principles, addressing misconceptions in recent experimental reports.

Findings

Potential curves illustrate energy landscapes in dissipative systems

Thermodynamic analysis clarifies non-equilibrium behavior

Highlights importance of away-from-equilibrium understanding

Abstract

Dissipative self-assembly is a recently proposed concept in the field of non-equilibrium systems. This concept catches the reader's attention owing to its relationship with life phenomena. Recently, Credi's group has reported the behavior of a directional supramolecular pump that works under continuous light irradiation with the regime of dissipative self-assembly. Despite their remarkable results, the thermodynamic aspects illustrated in their paper have the potential to mislead readers about the chemistry of non-equilibrium systems.