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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 7: Poster Session I

BP 7.6: Poster

Monday, March 9, 2026, 15:00–17:00, P5

Multi-phase coexistence of charged condensates — •Chengjie Luo, Yicheng Qiang, and David Zwicker — MPI-DS, Göttingen, Germany

Biomolecular condensates are complex droplets whose formation is believed to be primarily driven by short-range attractive interactions between diverse molecules. However, charges that mediate long-range interactions can also strongly affect phase separation. Using a mean-field theory, we demonstrate that electrostatic interactions can drive rich phase separation behavior. In a simple system of three charged components, these interactions can lead to the coexistence of multiple phases, including homogeneous phases with different compositions and patterned phases with finite-sized droplets. Furthermore, applying an external electric field can dramatically alter these coexistence states: weak fields cause charged droplets to move like colloidal particles, while stronger fields stretch droplets, leading to the formation of striped patterns. Our work establishes electrostatics and electric fields as potent controllers of phase coexistence, with implications for understanding biological condensates and designing synthetic patterned materials.

Keywords: phase separation; electrostatic interactions; multiple phases; biomolecular condensates