Related papers: Medium dependence of asphaltene agglomeration inhi…
Moving bottlenecks, such as slow-driving vehicles, are commonly thought of as impediments to efficient traffic flow. Here, we demonstrate that in certain situations, moving bottlenecks---properly controlled---can actually be beneficial for…
Fine powders often tend to agglomerate due to van der Waals forces between the particles. These forces can be reduced significantly by covering the particles with nanoscaled adsorbates, as shown by recent experiments. In the present work a…
The adsorption of a single multi-block $AB$-copolymer on a solid planar substrate is investigated by means of computer simulations and scaling analysis. It is shown that the problem can be mapped onto an effective homopolymer adsorption…
The charge on an aggregate immersed in a plasma environment distributes itself over the aggregate's surface; this can be approximated theoretically by assuming a multipole distribution. The dipole-dipole (or higher order) charge…
The composite cytoskeleton, comprising interacting networks of semiflexible actin and rigid microtubules, actively generates forces and restructures using motor proteins such as myosins to enable key mechanical processes including cell…
Molecular motors and cytoskeletal filaments work collectively most of the time under opposing forces. This opposing force may be due to cargo carried by motors or resistance coming from the cell membrane pressing against the cytoskeletal…
We report on the frictional properties of a single contact between a glassy polymer lens and a flat silica substrate covered either by a disordered or by a self-assembled alkylsilane monolayer. We find that, in contrast to common belief,…
In this article, we analyze different factors that affect the diffusion behavior of small tracer particles (as they are used e.g.in fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS)) in the polymer network of a hydrogel and perform simulations of…
Experiments have shown that self-propelled particles can slide along the surface of a circular obstacle without becoming trapped over long times. Using simulations and theory, we study the impact of boundary conditions on the diffusive…
Competing phases or interactions in complex many-particle systems can result in free energy barriers that strongly suppress thermal equilibration. Here we discuss how extended ensemble Monte Carlo simulations can be used to study the…
Producing dense and homogeneous powder layers with smooth free surface is challenging in additive manufacturing, as interparticle cohesion can strongly affect the powder packing structure and therefore influence the quality of the end…
The flow of fluids in channels, pipes or ducts, as in any other wall-bounded flow (like water along the hulls of ships or air on airplanes) is hindered by a drag, which increases many-folds when the fluid flow turns from laminar to…
Understanding of the molecular interaction between asphaltenes and other molecules, which may act as its solvents, provides insights into the nature of its stability in petroleum fluids and its phase transitions. Molecular dynamics…
The depletion interaction between two parallel repulsive walls confining a dilute solution of long and flexible polymer chains is studied by field-theoretic methods. Special attention is paid to self-avoidance between chain monomers…
Rotating fans are the prevalent forced cooling method for heat generating equipment and buildings. As the concentration of atmospheric pollutants has increased, the accumulation of microscale and nanoscale particles on surfaces due to…
Agglomeration of highly charged microparticles was observed and studied in complex plasma experiments carried out in a capacitively coupled rf discharge. The agglomeration was caused by strong dust density waves triggered in a particle…
We explore analytically and numerically agglomeration driven by advection and localized source. The system is inhomogeneous in one dimension, viz. along the direction of advection. We analyze a simplified model with mass-independent…
The results of Monte Carlo simulation of adsorption and wetting behaviour of a highly non-additive symmetric mixture at selective walls is discussed. We have concentrated on the interplay between the surface induced demixing in the adsorbed…
Here, results are presented on the focusing of $1 \ \mu$m polystyrene particle suspensions using a synchronous oscillatory pressure-driven flow and oscillatory electric field in a microfluidic device. The effect of the phase difference…
Phase separation in passive systems leads to uncontrolled droplet growth, limiting structural control in soft materials and cells. We identify a generic mechanism to arrest coarsening based on chemical interconversion between molecular…