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We theoretically and numerically investigate size fluctuations in chemically active droplets under weak reaction and strong phase separation conditions. By coupling a thin-interface model with fluctuation-dissipation-based stochastic noise, we achieve quantitative agreement with field simulations. Our model further allows inference of the effective non-equilibrium potential governing droplet growth, revealing that active reactions enabling size control inhibit nucleation.
Chemically active droplets exhibit size fluctuations governed by a non-equilibrium potential, where reactions that control size also suppress nucleation.
We study size fluctuations of chemically active droplets in the regime of weak reactions and strong phase separation. By combining a thin-interface model for the deterministic droplet growth with stochastic noise based on fluctuation-dissipation arguments, we report excellent quantitative agreement between our theory and numerical field simulations. Finally, we use our model to infer the effective non-equilibrium potential that governs droplet growth, and show that active reactions that enable size control suppress nucleation.