CC BY 3.0 UnportedKrüger, SamuelWeber, Christoph A.Sommer, Jens-UweJülicher, Frank2023-01-252023-01-252018https://oa.tib.eu/renate/handle/123456789/11064http://dx.doi.org/10.34657/10090Liquid–liquid phase separation leads to the formation of condensed phases that coexist with a fluid. Here we investigate how the positions of a condensed phase can be controlled by using concentration gradients of a regulator that influences phase separation. We consider a mean field model of a ternary mixture where a concentration gradient of a regulator is imposed by an external potential. A novel first order phase transition occurs at which the position of the condensed phase switches in a discontinuous manner. This mechanism could have implications for the spatial organisation of biological cells and provides a control mechanism for droplets in microfluidic systems.enghttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0530concentration gradientsequilibrium phase transitionliquid phase separation with external fieldpositioningternary mixture with external fieldArticle