Related papers: Deformable active nematic particles and emerging e…
An individual defect in a nematic liquid crystal moves not only in response to its interaction with other defects but also in response to an external field. We analyze the motion of a wedge disclination in the presence of an applied field…
Colloidal particles in polymer solutions and functionalized nanoparticles often exhibit short-range attraction coupled with long-range repulsion (SALR) leading to the spontaneous formation of symmetric patterns. Chiral nanostructures formed…
We report, for the first time, some experimental observations regarding a new type of long range interaction between rigid particles that prevails when they are suspended in an soft elastic gel. A denser particle submerges itself to a…
We present an experimental study of the kinetics of orbitally-shaken macroscopic particles confined to a two-dimensional bounded domain. Discounting the forcing action of the external periodic actuation, the particles show translational…
We study a new type of 2D active material that exhibits macroscopic phases with two emergent broken symmetries: self-propelled achiral particles that form dense hexatic clusters, which spontaneously rotate. We experimentally realise active…
In this work we analyze the classical confinement of relativistic and supersymmetric spinning particles in higher-codimension braneworlds. Considering warped backgrounds generated by string-like $ n=2$ and global scalar defects $ n \geq 3$,…
Depinning and nonequilibrium transitions within sliding states in systems driven over quenched disorder arise across a wide spectrum of size scales ranging from atomic friction at the nanoscale, flux motion in type-II superconductors at the…
We analyze a dilute suspension of active particles confined between walls and subjected to fields that can modulate particle speed as well as orientation. Generally, the particle distribution is different in the bulk compared to near the…
Dense, active systems show active turbulence, a state characterised by flow fields that are chaotic, with continually changing velocity jets and swirls. Here we review our current understanding of active turbulence. The development is…
Nematic colloids exhibit a large diversity of topological defects and structures induced by colloidal particles in the orientationally ordered liquid crystal host fluids. These defects and field configurations define elastic interactions…
The hydrodynamic stresses created by active particles can destabilise orientational order present in the system. This is manifested, for example, by the appearance of a bend instability in active nematics or in quasi-2-dimensional living…
Active particles break out of thermodynamic equilibrium thanks to their directed motion, which leads to complex and interesting behaviors in the presence of confining potentials. When dealing with active nanoparticles, however, the…
Self-propelled particles can navigate complex environments, including viscous fluid interfaces with curved geometries. In this work, we study the emergent dynamics of a suspension of self-propelled particles confined to a stationary curved…
The newly-discovered ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal exhibits a variety of unique defect phenomena. The depolarization field in the material favors spontaneous spatial variations in polarization, manifesting in diverse forms such as…
Active particles affect their environment as much as the environment affects their active motion. Here, we present an experimental system where both can be simultaneously adjusted in situ using an external AC electric field. The environment…
We study inherently chiral self-propelled particles, self-rotating at a fixed frequency, in two dimensions, subjected to nematic alignment interactions and rotational noise. By means of both, homogeneous and spatially resolved mean field…
Entropic forces in colloidal suspensions and in polymer-colloid systems are of long-standing and continuing interest. Experiments show how entropic forces can be used to control the self-assembly of colloidal particles. Significant advances…
We consider a two-dimensional system of elongated particles driven over a random quenched disorder landscape. For varied pinning site density, external drive magnitude, and particle elongation, we find a wide variety of dynamic phases,…
We study an agent-based model of self-propelled particles with a velocity-dependent alignment rule. This interaction is orientation weighted and acts along the line connecting neighboring particles. Tuning the alignment strength produces…
Biological and robotic systems often operate in confined environments where material must be gathered without centralized control. Inspired by the effective collection strategies of aquatic worms (Lumbriculus variegatus and Tubifex…