---
DOAJ_listed: '1'
OA_place: publisher
OA_type: gold
_id: '22207'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Phase separation is a ubiquitous process and finds applications in a variety
    of biological, organic, and inorganic systems. Nature has evolved the ability
    to control phase separation to both regulate cellular processes and make composite
    materials with outstanding mechanical and optical properties. Striking examples
    of the latter are the vibrant blue and green feathers of many bird species, which
    are thought to result from an exquisite control of the size and spatial correlations
    of their phase-separated microstructures. By contrast, it is much harder for material
    scientists to arrest and control phase separation in synthetic materials with
    such a high level of precision at these length scales. In this Perspective, we
    briefly review some established methods to control liquid–liquid phase separation
    processes and then highlight the emergence of a promising arrest method based
    on phase separation in an elastic polymer network. Finally, we discuss upcoming
    challenges and opportunities for fabricating microstructured materials via mechanically
    controlled phase separation.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Carla
  full_name: Fernández-Rico, Carla
  id: 492def71-6250-11f0-b278-d41dbd241b62
  last_name: Fernández-Rico
- first_name: Tianqi
  full_name: Sai, Tianqi
  last_name: Sai
- first_name: Alba
  full_name: Sicher, Alba
  last_name: Sicher
- first_name: Robert W.
  full_name: Style, Robert W.
  last_name: Style
- first_name: Eric R.
  full_name: Dufresne, Eric R.
  last_name: Dufresne
citation:
  ama: Fernández-Rico C, Sai T, Sicher A, Style RW, Dufresne ER. Putting the squeeze
    on phase separation. <i>JACS Au</i>. 2021;2(1):66-73. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.1c00443">10.1021/jacsau.1c00443</a>
  apa: Fernández-Rico, C., Sai, T., Sicher, A., Style, R. W., &#38; Dufresne, E. R.
    (2021). Putting the squeeze on phase separation. <i>JACS Au</i>. American Chemical
    Society. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.1c00443">https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.1c00443</a>
  chicago: Fernández-Rico, Carla, Tianqi Sai, Alba Sicher, Robert W. Style, and Eric
    R. Dufresne. “Putting the Squeeze on Phase Separation.” <i>JACS Au</i>. American
    Chemical Society, 2021. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.1c00443">https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.1c00443</a>.
  ieee: C. Fernández-Rico, T. Sai, A. Sicher, R. W. Style, and E. R. Dufresne, “Putting
    the squeeze on phase separation,” <i>JACS Au</i>, vol. 2, no. 1. American Chemical
    Society, pp. 66–73, 2021.
  ista: Fernández-Rico C, Sai T, Sicher A, Style RW, Dufresne ER. 2021. Putting the
    squeeze on phase separation. JACS Au. 2(1), 66–73.
  mla: Fernández-Rico, Carla, et al. “Putting the Squeeze on Phase Separation.” <i>JACS
    Au</i>, vol. 2, no. 1, American Chemical Society, 2021, pp. 66–73, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.1c00443">10.1021/jacsau.1c00443</a>.
  short: C. Fernández-Rico, T. Sai, A. Sicher, R.W. Style, E.R. Dufresne, JACS Au
    2 (2021) 66–73.
date_created: 2026-06-30T06:30:18Z
date_published: 2021-12-10T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2026-07-15T05:55:35Z
day: '10'
ddc:
- '540'
doi: 10.1021/jacsau.1c00443
extern: '1'
external_id:
  pmid:
  - '35098222'
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: '         2'
issue: '1'
keyword:
- phase separation
- arrest
- bird feathers
- elasticity
- polymer networks
- microstructured materials
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
  url: https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.1c00443
month: '12'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 66-73
pmid: 1
publication: JACS Au
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 2691-3704
publication_status: published
publisher: American Chemical Society
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Putting the squeeze on phase separation
tmp:
  image: /images/cc_by_nc_nd.png
  legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode
  name: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
    (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
  short: CC BY-NC-ND (4.0)
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 2
year: '2021'
...