title: Salt-induced aggregation of stiff polyelectrolytes.
abstract: Molecular dynamics simulation techniques are used to study the process of aggregation of highly charged stiff polyelectrolytes due to the presence of multivalent salt. The dominant kinetic mode of aggregation is found to be the case of one end of one polyelectrolyte meeting others at right angles, and the kinetic pathway to bundle formation is found to be similar to that of flocculation dynamics of colloids as described by Smoluchowski. The aggregation process is found to favor the formation of finite bundles of 10-11 filaments at long times. Comparing the distribution of the cluster sizes with the Smoluchowski formula suggests that the energy barrier for the aggregation process is negligible. Also, the formation of long-lived metastable structures with similarities to the raft-like structures of actin filaments is observed within a range of salt concentration.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), PO Box 45195-1159, Zanjan 45195, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fazli
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohammadinejad
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Golestanian