Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 18: Active Matter III (joint session BP/CPP/DY)

CPP 18.8: Talk

Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 11:30–11:45, BAR/SCHÖ

Chemically Active Liquid Bridges Generate Repulsive Forces — •Noah Ziethen — DAMTP, University of Cambridge, UK

Intracellular droplets help organize cells by compartmentalizing biomolecules and mediating mechanical interactions. When such droplets bridge two structures, they generate capillary forces that depend on the surface properties and the separation between the structures. While the forces exerted by passive liquid bridges are well understood, the impact of active chemical reactions, ubiquitous in biological condensates, remains unclear.

Here, we investigate a single liquid bridge with continuous chemical turnover, in which the production and degradation of droplet material maintain a non-equilibrium steady state. In this active bridge, the reactions dynamically set the bridge radius, thereby controlling the force-distance relation. In striking contrast to passive systems, we find that activity can generate purely repulsive forces over a broad range of separations. These results show that chemical activity can qualitatively alter capillary forces generated by liquid bridges, suggesting a potential route for cells to actively regulate mechanical coupling via droplets.

Keywords: Chemically Active Droplets; Liquid Bridges; Capillary Forces; Wetting