{
  "abstract": "For over half a century, the counterion condensation theory has served as the dominant view for highly charged cylinders, prescribing a sharp charge renormalization based on the idealized abstraction of a salt-free line charge. In this work, we resolve this problem for physical open-domain systems across all charge regimes using the method of matched asymptotics applied to the non-linear Poisson--Boltzmann equation with added salt. For subcritical fields, where the dimensionless charge parameter satisfies $ξ< 1$, cylindrical curvature suppresses non-linear coupling, leaving the diffuse atmosphere unmodified. Beyond the critical threshold ($ξ= 1$), where the linear theory breaks down due to a localized Boltzmann explosion, the counterion accumulation smoothly transitions into a local flat-wall near-field geometry. By matching these zones, we construct a unified, parameter-free composite analytical solution capturing the spatial crossover toward the global cylindrical Debye screening tail. In the supercritical regime ($ξ> 1$), this near-field regularization locks the far-field effective charge into distinct, concentration-dependent parallel plateaus. Crucially, within the realistic regime where $ξ\\le 5$, these idealized plateaus are not always reached, and the effective charge operates within a smooth, variable transition zone. Throughout all regimes, the ionic atmosphere remains diffuse, proving that the limiting laws of condensation emerge as artifacts of omitting the screening electrolyte.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2610.39661",
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Olga I. Vinogradova"
    },
    {
      "name": "Elena F. Silkina"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/958kgwfv7zmwj.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2610.39661",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "958kgwfv7zmwj",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.39661",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.chem-ph"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.39661",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-29",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/958kgwfv7zmwj.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:36:23Z",
      "native_id": "2610.39661",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.39661"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.chem-ph",
      "subfield": "physical"
    }
  ],
  "title": "The Diffuse Layer of Thin Cylinders: Beyond the Counterion Condensation Paradigm",
  "title_text": "The Diffuse Layer of Thin Cylinders: Beyond the Counterion Condensation Paradigm",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-01T12:20:45Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/958kgwfv7zmwj",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}