An important goal of self-assembly is to achieve a preprogrammed structure with high fidelity. Here, we control the valence of DNA-functionalized emulsions to make linear and branched model polymers, or `colloidomers. The distribution of cluster size
s is consistent with a polymerization process in which the droplets achieve their prescribed valence. Conformational dynamics reveals that the chains are freely-jointed, such that the end-to-end length scales with the number of bonds $N$ as $N^{ u}$, where $ uapprox3/4$, in agreement with the Flory theory in 2D. The chain diffusion coefficient $D$ approximately scales as $Dpropto N^{- u}$, as predicted by the Zimm model. Unlike molecular polymers, colloidomers can be repeatedly assembled and disassembled under temperature cycling, allowing for reconfigurable, responsive matter.
We calculate the components of the microscopic pressure tensor as a function of radial distance r from the centre of a spherical water droplet, modelled using the TIP4P/2005 potential. To do so, we modify a coarse-graining method for calculating the
microscopic pressure [T. Ikeshoji, B. Hafskjold, and H. Furuholt, Mol. Simul. 29, 101 (2003)] in order to apply it to a rigid molecular model of water. As test cases, we study nanodroplets ranging in size from 776 to 2880 molecules at 220 K. Beneath a surface region comprising approximately two molecular layers, the pressure tensor becomes approximately isotropic and constant with r. We find that the dependence of the pressure on droplet radius is that expected from the Young-Laplace equation, despite the small size of the droplets.
We investigate structural order in glassy water by performing classical molecular dynamics simulations using the extended simple point charge (SPC/E) model of water. We perform isochoric cooling simulations across the glass transition temperature at
different cooling rates and densities. We quantify structural order by orientational and translational order metrics. Upon cooling the liquid into the glassy state, both the orientational order parameter $Q$ and translational order parameter $tau$ increase. At T=0 K, the glasses fall on a line in the $Q$-$tau$ plane or {it order map}. The position of this line depends only on density and coincides with the location in the order map of the inherent structures (IS) sampled upon cooling. We evaluate the energy of the IS, $e_{IS}(T)$, and find that both order parameters for the IS are proportional to $e_{IS}$. We also study the structural order during the transformation of low-density amorphous ice (LDA) to high-density amorphous ice (HDA) upon isothermal compression and are able to identify distinct regions in the order map corresponding to these glasses. Comparison of the order parameters for LDA and HDA with those obtained upon isochoric cooling indicates major structural differences between glasses obtained by cooling and glasses obtained by compression. These structural differences are only weakly reflected in the pair correlation function. We also characterize the evolution of structural order upon isobaric annealing, leading at high pressure to very-high density amorphous ice (VHDA).
