软凝聚态物质
In 1928, Chapman generalised Einstein's theory of diffusion for non-uniform fluids to show the presence of a non-Fickian diffusion current, which he considered important in thermodiffusion (Ludwig-Soret effect). In 1941, Kiyosi It\^o…
The evolution of occupied volume under progressive fragmentation of granular matter is studied using a purely geometric model. Rather than modelling disorder directly, properties are investigated by analysing highly ordered reference…
The mechanical properties of confining boundaries can fundamentally alter the flow behaviour of shear-thickening suspensions. We study a dense cornstarch suspension sheared beneath a viscous silicone-oil layer, using the oil viscosity to…
We explore the concept of memory in scalar active matter, focusing on the collective dynamics of particles whose interactions depend on their evolutionary history rather than solely on their current configuration. We introduce the idea of…
Understanding solution-phase aggregation and dynamics in complex fluids is critical for material processing, yet widely used dynamic light scattering (DLS) fails for strongly attenuating systems such as conjugated polymers. We use X-ray…
Tangential interactions between particles play a central role in suspension rheology. We show theoretically that these interactions, often attributed to contact friction, are a direct consequence of fluid flows between rough particles in…
Spatially varying electric fields are prevalent throughout nature, such as in nanoporous materials and biological membranes, and technology, e.g, patterned electrodes and van der Waals heterostructures. While uniform fields cause free ions…
We investigate solution landscapes for ferronematics i.e., a dilute suspension of magnetic nano-particles in a nematic liquid crystal host, in a reduced one-dimensional setting relevant for microfluidic problems. Solution landscapes show…
Previous experimental reports of long-range interactions in ionic liquids (ILs) stand in contradiction with theoretical predictions and numerical simulations. To provide insights into the literature discrepancies regarding the experimental…
The appearance of emergent symmetries in complex systems with components that can form composite units provides us with opportunities for design and control of exotic phase behaviour, for example by exploiting the dynamical symmetry…
Ground states of materials with orientational order ranging from solid ferromagnets and ferroelectrics to liquid crystals often contain spatially varying vector-like order parameter caused by inner factors such as the shape of building…
Chiral surface waves are surface-localized modes that propagate unidirectionally along a boundary, enabling directed transport and minimal back-scattering. While first identified in quantum systems, they were recently shown to emerge in…
Microorganisms ofter move in confined, disordered environments, where hydrodynamic couplings can modify their transport behavior. Using extensive finite-element simulations, we investigate the dynamics of microswimmers -- modeled as…
Geometric incompatibility, the inability of a material's rest state to be realized in Euclidean space, underlies shape formation in natural and synthetic thin sheets. Classical Gauss and Mainardi-Codazzi-Peterson (MCP) incompatibilities…
Frontal polymerization (FP) enables rapid curing of thermosets via a self-sustaining thermal wave, but its propagation mechanism can shift dramatically depending on processing conditions. In this study, we investigate the effect of trigger…
We numerically study confined channel foam flow around an obstacle using a two-dimensional bubble model, inspired by experiments performed in the same geometry. We systematically vary the polydispersity, the external driving force, and the…
A ring polymer in a confining space may exhibit at least two phases, namely an expanded (or solvent-rich phase) if its concentration is small, or a collapsed (or polymer-rich phase) when it is concentrated and compressed. These phases are…
The dynamics of anisotropic particles in viscous flows underpin a wide range of processes in soft matter, microfluidics, and targeted drug delivery. Here, we investigate the motion of externally driven prolate and oblate spheroids suspended…
Weakly coupled oscillators adjust their dynamics to work in unison: they synchronize. This ubiquitous phenomenon is observed for oscillating pendulum, electronic devices, as well as clapping crowds or flashing fireflies. In effect,…
The Sllod equations of motion enable modeling of homogeneous flow at the atomic scale, and are commonly used to predict fluid properties such as viscosity. However, few publicly available codes support such simulations, and those that do…