Attractive and repulsive terms in multi-object dispersion interactions

Abstract

We consider the dispersion (van der Waals, vdW) interaction among N parallel elongated objects such as DNA/RNA strands or metallic nanotubes, which are polarizable primarily along the long axis. Within a quasi-one-dimensional model, we prove that the irreducible N -object vdW energy contribution is negative (attractive) for even N and positive (repulsive) for odd N. We confirm these results up to $N=4$ via a 3-dimensional plasma cylinder model. This suggests a preference for even-N clustering of elongated structures in nanoscience and biology. This work could have implications e.g. for nanotube bundle formation and for the clustering of long-chain biomolecules at separations exceeding chemical bond lengths.