Research Projects

Charges are a ubiquitous part of our daily lives, including the biomolecules that form our bodies. Charged macroions, such as DNA, RNA, protein, and carbohydrates, are essential building blocks of living organisms and are crucial for the structure and function of healthy life. Their precise composition is essential for maintaining cell well-being. Charged macromolecules often operate in concentrated aqueous solutions and crowded environments, which is vital for various living processes and healthcare materials. The charge regulation (CR) process, which involves spatial redistribution of ions, is of great importance in biology, colloidal science, bio and electrochemistry, and is also crucial for designing materials based on polyelectrolytes in solution and polyelectrolyte brushes. CR depends on factors such as the dielectric constant, pH variation, and weight fraction salt in the solution. Changes in pH can control enzyme activity, protein aggregation, anti-cancer drug release, and protein sequestration in polyelectrolyte complexes, brushes, or hydrogels. Several studies have studied the interaction of charged macroions in aqueous or dilute solutions, but there are still aspects not well understood in concentrated solution or charged knot polymers. This proposal aims to describe the electrostatic interaction between two spherical macroions with a nonconstant, fluctuating charge surrounded by a monovalent bathing salt solution.