The ubiquity of aqueous solutions in contact with charged surfaces and the realization that
the molecular-level details of water–surface interactions often determine interfacial functions …

Biological phase separation is known to be important for cellular organization, which has
recently been extended to a new class of biomolecules that form liquid-like droplets …

Ions differ in their ability to salt out proteins from solution as expressed in the lyotropic or
Hofmeister series of cations and anions. Since its first formulation in 1888, this series has …

Weakly hydrated anions help to solubilize hydrophobic macromolecules in aqueous
solutions, but small molecules comprising the same chemical constituents precipitate out …

On the basis of many literature measurements, a critical overview is given on essential
noncovalent interactions in synthetic supramolecular complexes, accompanied by analyses …

Materials with stimuli-switchable properties are widespread in nature. Through biomimicry,
stimuli-responsive hydrogels have received increasing research in recent years. In …

Driving forces for association between oppositely charged biological or synthetic polymers
in aqueous solution have long been identified as electrostatic in origin. This attraction is …

Specific effects of electrolytes have posed a challenge since the 1880's. The pioneering
work was that of Franz Hofmeister who studied specific salt induced protein precipitation …

Specific ion effects occur everywhere. They occur in bulk solutions and at interfaces
(air/water, oil/water, solid/water, macromolecule/water, etc.). They are even found in …

Spider silk fiber rapidly assembles from spidroin protein in soluble state via an incompletely
understood mechanism. Here, we present an integrated model for silk formation that …