Understanding Hydrophobic Effects: Insights from Water Density Fluctuations

The aversion of hydrophobic solutes for water drives diverse interactions and assemblies across materials science, biology beyond. % Here, we review the theoretical, computational experimental developments which underpin a contemporary understanding effects. We discuss how an density fluctuations in bulk can shed light on fundamental differences hydration molecular macroscopic solutes; these differences, turn, explain why become stronger upon increasing temperature. also illustrate sensitive dependence surface hydrophobicity chemical topographical patterns displays, makes use approximate approaches estimating particularly challenging. Importantly, complex surfaces, such as those proteins, display nanoscale heterogeneity, nevertheless be characterized using interfacial fluctuations; characterization informs protein regions that mediate their interactions. Finally, build ability to characterize inform context-dependent thermodynamic forces drive desolvation barriers impede them.