Formation of liquid shells in active droplet systems

TL;DR

This paper investigates how chemically active mixtures can form stable liquid shells through non-equilibrium phase separation, revealing conditions for their stability and coexistence in active emulsions.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of stable liquid shells forming via spinodal instability in active droplet systems under non-equilibrium conditions.

Findings

Stable liquid shells form via spinodal instability.

Single shells grow until shape instability occurs.

Multiple stable shells can coexist in active emulsions.

Abstract

We study a chemically active binary mixture undergoing phase separation and show that under non-equilibrium conditions, stable liquid spherical shells can form via a spinodal instability in the droplet center. A single liquid shell tends to grow until it undergoes a shape instability beyond a critical size. In an active emulsion, many stable and stationary liquid shells can coexist. We discuss conditions under which liquid shells are stable and dominant as compared to regimes where droplets undergo shape instabilities and divide.