{
  "abstract": "Molecular recognition allows living systems to convert chemical information into physical behavior. Synthetic active matter lacks an analogous mechanism by which chemical information modulates phoretic interactions, which are determined instead by physicochemical properties. Here, we harness host-guest chemistry within coordination cages to enable the transduction of molecular recognition into non-equilibrium responses. We employ guest molecules as chemical signals which tune a tracer’s zeta potential upon binding within cages adsorbed to the particle interface. Phoretic mobility of these tracers is controlled via ionic diffusiophoresis. Experiments across multiple guests reveal a direct relationship between binding affinity, surface potential, and interaction sign, i.e. convergence toward or divergence away from the center of a gradient. We also present a predictive theoretical framework that quantitatively maps guest properties onto the sign and magnitude of phoretic interactions. These results establish molecular recognition as a chemical code for modulating interactions in active matter.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering",
    "Chalmers University of Technology",
    "Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Nanhai Avenue 3688, Shenzhen, China, 518060",
    "School of Physics and Information Engineering Guangxi Science & Technology Normal University",
    "Institute for Theoretical Physics, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, Utrecht, Netherlands, 3584 CC"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Salah Eddine Ghellab"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Valiyakath Abdul Rinshad"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Aaranda Arooj"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Xuemao Zhou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Angela Beth Grommet",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9858-8556"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aae95ayhm4xqn.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15009245/v1",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "aae95ayhm4xqn",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009245/v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "3104|Micro and Nano Robotics"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7213970115",
  "pdf_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/pdf/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009245/v1",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-22",
  "publisher": "American Chemical Society (ACS)",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aae95ayhm4xqn.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:21Z",
      "native_id": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15009245",
      "source": "chemrxiv",
      "url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009245/v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "openalex:3104|Micro and Nano Robotics",
      "subfield": "condensed-matter"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Modulating Phoretic Interactions through Molecular Recognition",
  "title_text": "Modulating Phoretic Interactions through Molecular Recognition",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:21Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aae95ayhm4xqn",
  "venue": "ChemRxiv",
  "versions": []
}