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arXiv · 1908.05350

Random sequential adsorption of spheres on a cylinder

Edvin Memet·Nabila Tanjeem·Charlie Greboval·Vinothan N. Manoharan·L. Mahadevan
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Abstract

Inspired by observations of beads packed on a thin string in such systems as sea-grapes and dental plaque, we study the random sequential adsorption of spheres on a cylinder. We determine the asymptotic fractional coverage of the cylinder as a function of the sole parameter in the problem, the ratio of the sphere radius to the cylinder radius (for a very long cylinder) using a combination of analysis and numerical simulations. Examining the asymptotic structures, we find weak chiral ordering on sufficiently small spatial scales. Experiments involving colloidal microspheres that can attach irreversibly to a silica wire via electrostatic forces or DNA hybridization allow us to verify our predictions for the asymptotic coverage.

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Edvin Memet, Nabila Tanjeem, Charlie Greboval, Vinothan N. Manoharan, L. Mahadevan. 2019-08-14. Random sequential adsorption of spheres on a cylinder. https://doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075%2F127%2F38004

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