软凝聚态物质
Athermal (i.e. zero-temperature) under-constrained systems are typically floppy, but they can be rigidified by the application of external strain. Following our recently developed analytical theory for the athermal limit, here and in the…
Polymer network models construct the constitutive relationships of a broader polymer network from the behavior of a single polymer chain (e.g. viscoelastic response to applied forces, applied electromagnetic fields, etc.). Network models…
We present a generalized Einstein relation for the friction coefficients associated with an underlying memory kernel in terms of observable time correlation functions. There is considerable freedom in the correlations involved, and this…
The transient negative capacitance (NC) of solid ferroelectric materials used in field effect transistors can reduce the power dissipation of electronics. Here we show that similar negative capacitance appears in the recently discovered…
Polarization flutter, produced by an applied AC electric field drives an equilibrium ferroelectric nematic ($\mathrm{N_F}$) liquid crystal (LC) through a transition into a dissipative active ferroelectric nematic state exhibiting strong…
We utilize the generalized entropy theory (GET) of glass formation to address one of the most singular and least understood properties of polymer glass-forming liquids in comparison to atomic and small molecule liquids -- the often…
Transition paths are rare events occurring when a system, thanks to the effect of fluctuations, crosses successfully from one stable state to another by surmounting an energy barrier. Even though they are of great significance in many…
We study a two-dimensional chiral active crystal composed of underdamped chiral active particles. These particles, characterized by intrinsic handedness and persistence, interact via linear forces derived from harmonic potentials. Chirality…
Origami morphing, obtained with patches of piecewise smooth isometries separated by straight fold lines, is an exquisite art that has already received considerable attention in the mathematics and mechanics literature. Curved fold lines,…
Vibrated granular matter constitutes a useful system for studying the physics of active matter. Usually, self-propulsion is induced in grains through suitable asymmetry in the particle design. In this paper, we show that a symmetrical mini…
This extended article presents a thermomechanical approach for calculating the stress tensor from the thermodynamic potential of inhomogeneous fluids and some applications to ionic fluids. The technique, based on the invariance of the…
Polyelectrolyte (PE) brushes have ubiquitous applications as surface modifiers which regulate various structural and dynamic properties. Here, we apply a continuous-space self-consistent field theory to study the structural heterogeneity in…
Active glasses refer to a class of driven non-equilibrium systems that share remarkably similar dynamical behavior as conventional glass-formers in equilibrium. Glass-like dynamical characteristics have been observed in various biological…
Bacterial colonies can form a wide variety of shapes and structures based on ambient and internal conditions. To help understand the mechanisms that determine the structure of and the diversity within these colonies, various numerical…
The shapes of liquid polystyrene (PS) droplets on viscoelastic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates are investigated experimentally using atomic force microscopy for a range of droplet sizes and substrate elasticities. These shapes, which…
To further understand the complex behavior of swimming microorganisms, the spontaneous motion of nonliving matter provides essential insights. While substantial research has focused on quantitatively analyzing complex behavioral patterns,…
Active systems comprising micron-sized self-propelling units, also termed microswimmers, are promising candidates for the bottom-up assembly of small structures and reconfigurable materials. Here we leverage field-driven colloidal assembly…
The Random First Order Transition Theory (RFOT) predicts that transport proceeds by cooperative movement of particles in domains whose sizes increase as a liquid is compressed above a characteristic volume fraction, $\phi_d$. The rounded…
The directed migration of cells toward stiffer substrate regions or durotaxis is relevant to tissue development and tumor progression. Here, we introduce a phenomenological model for single cell durotaxis that incorporates both elastic…
Physics-based first-principles pressure-volume-temperature equations of state (EOS) exist for solids and gases but not for liquids due to the long-standing fundamental problems involved in liquid theory. Current EOS models that are…