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PreprintCC BY-NC-NDChemRxiv

Time-Resolved Dynamic Assembly and Disassembly of Fueled Peptide Systems

  • Christiane Wenzel1,2
  • Sven Pattloch2,3,4
  • Kun Dai2,5
  • Jiaqi Zhang2,6
  • Charalampos G. Pappas2,6
  • Bizan N. Balzer1,2,7
  • Joachim Dzubiella2,3,4
  • Thorsten Hugel1,2
7 affiliations
  1. 1Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, Freiburg, Germany, 79104
  2. 2Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT-Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 105, Freiburg, Germany, 79110
  3. 3Applied Theoretical Physics-Computational Physics, Institute of Physics
  4. 4University of Freiburg
  5. 5Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), University of Freiburg, Albertstr. 19, Freiburg, Germany, 79104
  6. 6Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, Freiburg, Germany, 79104
  7. 7Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF, University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 21, Freiburg, Germany, 79104
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Abstract

Many molecules can self-assemble into higher order structures. Depending on the environment, the molecules will either assemble or disassemble towards their equilibrium (lowest) free energy state. Fueled molecular systems allow for a fundamentally di!erent behavior, namely an assembly into a higher free energy state (via the consumption of fuel) and a subsequent disassembly, allowing for new material properties. Here we quantify the fueled assembly and disassembly for structures formed by Lphenylalanine acyl ethyl phosphate (FEPs) and contrast this with the equilibrium self-assembly of diphenylalanine (F2). Importantly, we derive kinetic and thermodynamic parameters, e.g., e!ective (dis)assembly rates, phase coexistence points, and chemical potential biases for this system by fitting a mean-field model for chemical fueling of transient states (CFTS) to time-resolved atomic force microscopy (AFM) data. This quantitative framework provides a physical basis to define and analyze the lifetime of transient states, establishing how initial fuel concentrations and internal thermodynamic parameters dictate such non-equilibrium systems. Additional ex-situ AFM experiments yield molecular structural information and delineate the influence of substrates. Understanding the underlying mechanisms for fueled molecular systems is essential for further developing this growing field.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@misc{wenzel2026timeresolved,
  title = {{Time-Resolved Dynamic Assembly and Disassembly of Fueled Peptide Systems}},
  author = {Christiane Wenzel and Sven Pattloch and Kun Dai and Jiaqi Zhang and Charalampos G. Pappas and Bizan N. Balzer and Joachim Dzubiella and Thorsten Hugel},
  howpublished = {ChemRxiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv.15011058/v1},
  url = {https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15011058/v1},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY  - UNPB
TI  - Time-Resolved Dynamic Assembly and Disassembly of Fueled Peptide Systems
AU  - Christiane Wenzel
AU  - Sven Pattloch
AU  - Kun Dai
AU  - Jiaqi Zhang
AU  - Charalampos G. Pappas
AU  - Bizan N. Balzer
AU  - Joachim Dzubiella
AU  - Thorsten Hugel
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/26
PB  - ChemRxiv
DO  - 10.26434/chemrxiv.15011058/v1
UR  - https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15011058/v1
AB  - Many molecules can self-assemble into higher order structures. Depending on the environment, the molecules will either assemble or disassemble towards their equilibrium (lowest) free energy state. Fueled molecular systems allow for a fundamentally di!erent behavior, namely an assembly into a higher free energy state (via the consumption of fuel) and a subsequent disassembly, allowing for new material properties. Here we quantify the fueled assembly and disassembly for structures formed by Lphenylalanine acyl ethyl phosphate (FEPs) and contrast this with the equilibrium self-assembly of diphenylalanine (F2). Importantly, we derive kinetic and thermodynamic parameters, e.g., e!ective (dis)assembly rates, phase coexistence points, and chemical potential biases for this system by fitting a mean-field model for chemical fueling of transient states (CFTS) to time-resolved atomic force microscopy (AFM) data. This quantitative framework provides a physical basis to define and analyze the lifetime of transient states, establishing how initial fuel concentrations and internal thermodynamic parameters dictate such non-equilibrium systems. Additional ex-situ AFM experiments yield molecular structural information and delineate the influence of substrates. Understanding the underlying mechanisms for fueled molecular systems is essential for further developing this growing field.
ER  -