Phase diagram of two-patch colloids with competing anisotropic and isotropic interactions

Abstract

Patchy particles are considered to be a good model for protein aggregation. We calculate the equilibrium phase diagram of two-patch colloidal particles undergoing aggregation along with isotropic potential. This investigation demonstrates the coexistence of different phases like disordered clusters, chains, crystals and bundles depending on the relative strength of isotropic and anisotropic potential, these phases are also reported for glucose isomerase proteins. We also show that the formation of network of bundles is metastable against the formation of thermodynamically favored finite sized bundles, which are also metastable along with thermodynamically stable crystals. These bundles appear to be helical in structure similar to that observed in sickle cell hemoglobin.