Recently we completed a book chapter on non-equilibrium self-assembly (preprint available upon request). and we stumbled across many claims of bi-stability but after analysis no serious one remained. We would appreciate your suggestions for a working example, preferably a simple one.
The simplest example could be that of a dimer formed by self-assembly of two single particles. The process could be represented by a transition through a bistable potential whose minima are the two different states: unassembled-assembled. The transition rate could be computed from the parameters of the system.
This might be a bit off the track, but when it comes to the aggregation of inverse micelles, space can only be sufficiently filled with spherical micelles, if it at least two differently sized micelles are involved. The only known stable aggregation of inverse micelles is given in the Fd3m phase, where two types of micelles are given (per unit cell 12 small and 6 bigger ones). Briefly packing constraints rule out for instance FCC and BCC ordering of micelles.
Job: I did not mention it, but timescale is an important issue. So if these molecules are not too large, maybe?
Miguel: catalytic action requires at least (the presence of) one more particle.
Michael: That is an interesting argument why micellar systems become more monodiperse upon concentration. The systems I have in mind could also be dilute, however.
The file attached shows the transformation of a substrate S into a product P mediated by a catalyst E (enzyme in this case). The process can be viewed as diffusion through a reaction coordinate.
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