Dynamical clustering of counterions on flexible polyelectrolytes

Abstract

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the local dynamics of counterion-charged polymer association at charge densities above and below the counterion condensation threshold. Surprisingly, the counterions form weakly-interacting clusters which exhibit short range orientational order, and which decay slowly due to migration of ions across the diffuse double layer. The cluster dynamics are insensitive to an applied electric field, and qualitatively agree with the available experimental data. The results are consistent with predictions of the classical theory only over much longer time scales.

References in corpus (4)

• Electrostatic correlations: from Plasma to Biology
• Scaling and Universality in the Counterion-Condensation Transition at Charged Cylinders
• End-effects of strongly charged polyelectrolytes - a molecular dynamics study
• Theory and simulations of rigid polyelectrolytes

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Effect of chain stiffness on ion distributions around a polyelectrolyte in multivalent salt solutions
• Distribution of counterions and interaction between two similarly charged dielectric slabs: Roles of charge discreteness and dielectric inhomogeneity
• Diffusion and conduction in a salt-free colloidal suspension via molecular dynamics simulations
• The explicit characterization of counterion dynamics around a flexible polyelectrolyte
• Surface Charge Relaxation Controls the Lifetime of Out-of-Equilibrium Colloidal Crystals