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Keogh RR, Kozhukhov T, Thijssen K, Shendruk TN. Active Darcy's Law. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2024; 132:188301. [PMID: 38759204 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.132.188301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
While bacterial swarms can exhibit active turbulence in vacant spaces, they naturally inhabit crowded environments. We numerically show that driving disorderly active fluids through porous media enhances Darcy's law. While purely active flows average to zero flux, hybrid active/driven flows display greater drift than purely pressure-driven flows. This enhancement is nonmonotonic with activity, leading to an optimal activity to maximize flow rate. We incorporate the active contribution into an active Darcy's law, which may serve to help understand anomalous transport of swarming in porous media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R Keogh
- School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, United Kingdom
| | - Timofey Kozhukhov
- School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, United Kingdom
| | - Kristian Thijssen
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tyler N Shendruk
- School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, United Kingdom
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2
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Lamura A. Excluded volume effects on tangentially driven active ring polymers. Phys Rev E 2024; 109:054611. [PMID: 38907431 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.109.054611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
The conformational and dynamical properties of active ring polymers are studied by numerical simulations. The two-dimensionally confined polymer is modeled as a closed bead-spring chain, driven by tangential forces, put in contact with a heat bath described by the Brownian multiparticle collision dynamics. Both phantom polymers and chains comprising excluded volume interactions are considered for different bending rigidities. The size and shape are found to be dependent on persistence length, driving force, and bead mutual exclusion. The lack of excluded volume interactions is responsible for a shrinkage of active rings when increasing driving force in the flexible limit, while the presence induces a moderate swelling of chains. The internal dynamics of flexible phantom active rings shows activity-enhanced diffusive behavior at large activity values while, in the case of self-avoiding active chains, it is characterized by active ballistic motion not depending on stiffness. The long-time dynamics of active rings is marked by rotational motion whose period scales as the inverse of the applied tangential force, irrespective of persistence length and beads' self-exclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Lamura
- Istituto Applicazioni Calcolo, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Amendola 122/D, 70126 Bari, Italy
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Garg V, Mathew R, Ibrahim R, Singh K, Ghosh SK. Crowding induced switching of polymer translocation by the amalgamation of entropy and osmotic pressure. iScience 2024; 27:109348. [PMID: 38523793 PMCID: PMC10959672 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The translocation of polymers is omnipresent in inherently crowded biological systems. We investigate the dynamics of polymer translocation through a pore in free and crowded environments using Langevin dynamics simulation. We observed a location-dependent translocation rate of monomers showcasing counterintuitive behavior in stark contrast to the bead velocity along the polymer backbone. The free energy calculation of asymmetrically placed polymers indicates a critical number of segments to direct receiver-side translocation. For one-sided crowding, we have identified a critical crowding size revealing a nonzero probability of translocation toward the crowded-side. Moreover, we have observed that shifting the polymer toward the crowded-side compensates for one-sided crowding, yielding an equal probability akin to a crowder-free system. In two-sided crowding, a slight variation in crowder size and packing fraction induces a polymer to switch its translocation direction. These conspicuous yet counter-intuitive phenomena are rationalized by minimalistic theoretical arguments based on osmotic pressure and radial entropic forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vrinda Garg
- Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Warangal 506004, India
| | - Rejoy Mathew
- Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Warangal 506004, India
| | - Riyan Ibrahim
- Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Warangal 506004, India
| | - Kulveer Singh
- Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Warangal 506004, India
| | - Surya K. Ghosh
- Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Warangal 506004, India
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Zhao XB, Zhang X, Guo W. Diffusion of active Brownian particles under quenched disorder. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298466. [PMID: 38437208 PMCID: PMC10911629 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The motion of a single active particle in one dimension with quenched disorder under the external force is investigated. Within the tailored parameter range, anomalous diffusion that displays weak ergodicity breaking is observed, i.e., non-ergodic subdiffusion and non-ergodic superdiffusion. This non-ergodic anomalous diffusion is analyzed through the time-dependent probability distributions of the particle's velocities and positions. Its origin is attributed to the relative weights of the locked state (predominant in the subdiffusion state) and running state (predominant in the superdiffusion state). These results may contribute to understanding the dynamical behavior of self-propelled particles in nature and the extraordinary response of nonlinear dynamics to the externally biased force.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiong-Biao Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructures in Yunnan Higher Education Institutions, School of Physical Science and Technology, Kunming University, Kunming, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructures in Yunnan Higher Education Institutions, School of Physical Science and Technology, Kunming University, Kunming, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructures in Yunnan Higher Education Institutions, School of Physical Science and Technology, Kunming University, Kunming, China
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Miranda JP, Locatelli E, Valeriani C. Self-Organized States from Solutions of Active Ring Polymers in Bulk and under Confinement. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:1636-1645. [PMID: 38153343 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
In the present work, we study, by means of numerical simulations, the structural and dynamical behavior of a suspension of active ring polymers in bulk and under lateral confinement. At high activity, when changing the distance between the confining planes and the polymers' density, we identify the emergence of a self-organized dynamical state, characterized by the coexistence of slowly diffusing clusters of rotating disks and faster rings moving in between them. We further assess that self-organization is robust in a range of polymer sizes, and we identify a critical value of the activity, necessary to trigger cluster formation. This system has distinctive features resembling at the same time polymers, liquid crystals, and active systems, where the interplay between activity, topology, and confinement leads to a spontaneous segregation in an initially one-component solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Pablo Miranda
- Dep. Est. de la Materia, Física Térmica y Electrónica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- GISC - Grupo Interdisciplinar de Sistemas Complejos, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Emanuele Locatelli
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
- INFN, Sezione di Padova, via Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Chantal Valeriani
- Dep. Est. de la Materia, Física Térmica y Electrónica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- GISC - Grupo Interdisciplinar de Sistemas Complejos, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Li C, Chen Q, Ding M. Escape dynamics of active ring polymers in a cylindrical nanochannel. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:1719-1724. [PMID: 38284326 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01524f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
We explore the escape dynamics of active ring polymers confined in a cylindrical nanochannel using Brownian dynamics. Our simulation results show that the escape time decreases with the increase of the Péclet number, which is not noticeable between the two stages of the escape process, based on whether the center of mass of the polymer is inside or outside the nanochannel. However, the monomer motion trajectory of the active polymer is very different from that of the passive polymer, similar to the snake-like motion with uniform velocity. The passive polymer, however, is in constant fugitive motion with increased velocity at the tail end of the escape. Our work is vital for understanding the escape dynamics of active ring polymers in the confined nanochannel, which provides new perspectives on their characterization and analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuqiao Li
- Xinjiang Laboratory of Phase Transitions and Microstructures in Condensed Matter Physics, College of Physical Science and Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, China
| | - Qiaoyue Chen
- Xinjiang Laboratory of Phase Transitions and Microstructures in Condensed Matter Physics, College of Physical Science and Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, China
| | - Mingming Ding
- Xinjiang Laboratory of Phase Transitions and Microstructures in Condensed Matter Physics, College of Physical Science and Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, China
- School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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Kumar P, Chakrabarti R. Escape dynamics of a self-propelled nanorod from circular confinements with narrow openings. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:6743-6753. [PMID: 37623699 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00723e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
We perform computer simulations to explore the escape dynamics of a self-propelled (active) nanorod from circular confinements with narrow opening(s). Our results clearly demonstrate how the persistent and directed motion of the nanorod helps it to escape. Such escape events are absent if the nanorod is passive. To quantify the escape dynamics, we compute the radial probability density function (RPDF) and mean first escape time (MFET) and show how the activity is responsible for the bimodality of RPDF, which is clearly absent if the nanorod is passive. Broadening of displacement distributions with activity has also been observed. The computed mean first escape time decreases with activity. In contrast, the fluctuations of the first escape times vary in a non-monotonic way. This results in high values of the coefficient of variation and indicates the presence of multiple timescales in first escape time distributions and multimodality in uniformity index distributions. We hope our study will help in differentiating activity-driven escape dynamics from purely thermal passive diffusion in confinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India.
| | - Rajarshi Chakrabarti
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India.
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Sahoo R, Chakrabarti R. Structure and dynamics of an active polymer chain inside a nanochannel grafted with polymers. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:5978-5988. [PMID: 37497754 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00618b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
We use computer simulations to investigate the complex dynamics of a polymer, made of active Brownian particles, inside a channel grafted internally with passive polymer chains. Our simulations reveal that this probe-polymer, if passive, exhibits a compact structure when its interaction is repulsive with the grafted chains as it tends to stay within the hollow space created along the axis of the channel. On increasing the attractive interaction, the passive probe-polymer is pulled towards the grafted polymeric region and adopts an extended structure. By contrast, switching on the activity helps the probe-polymer to escape from the local traps caused by the sticky grafted chains. The interplay between the activity of the probe-polymer and its sticky interaction with the grafted chains results in shrinking, followed by swelling as the activity is increased. To elucidate the dynamics we compute the mean square displacement (MSD) of the center of mass of the probe-polymer, which increases monotonically with activity and displays superdiffusive behavior at an intermediate time and enhanced diffusion at a long time period. In addition, compared with the attractive interaction, the active probe-polymer shows faster dynamics when the interaction is repulsive to the grafted polymers. We believe that our current study will provide insights into the structural changes and dynamics of active polymers in heterogeneous media and will be useful in designing polymer-based drug delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajiblochan Sahoo
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India.
| | - Rajarshi Chakrabarti
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India.
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Yan R, Tan F, Wang J, Zhao N. Conformation and dynamics of an active filament in crowded media. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:114905. [PMID: 36948796 DOI: 10.1063/5.0142559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The structural and dynamical properties of active filamentous objects under macromolecular crowding have a great relevance in biology. By means of Brownian dynamics simulations, we perform a comparative study for the conformational change and diffusion dynamics of an active chain in pure solvents and in crowded media. Our result shows a robust compaction-to-swelling conformational change with the augment of the Péclet number. The presence of crowding facilitates self-trapping of monomers and, thus, reinforces the activity mediated compaction. In addition, the efficient collisions between the self-propelled monomers and crowders induce a coil-to-globulelike transition, indicated by a marked change of the Flory scaling exponent of the gyration radius. Moreover, the diffusion dynamics of the active chain in crowded solutions demonstrates activity-enhanced subdiffusion. The center of mass diffusion manifests rather new scaling relations with respect to both the chain length and Péclet number. The interplay of chain activity and medium crowding provides a new mechanism to understand the non-trivial properties of active filaments in complex environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Yan
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Fei Tan
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Jingli Wang
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Nanrong Zhao
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
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Wu S, Li JX, Lei QL. Facilitated dynamics of an active polymer in 2D crowded environments with obstacles. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:9263-9272. [PMID: 36441607 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00974a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the behaviors of a single active chain in complex environments is not only an interesting topic in non-equilibrium physics but also has applicative implications in biological/medical engineering. In this work, by using molecular simulations, we systematically study the dynamical and conformational behaviors of an active polymer in crowded environments, i.e., a single active chain confined in 2D space with randomly arranged obstacles. We found that the competition between the chain's activity and rigidity in the presence of obstacles leads to many interesting dynamical and conformational states, such as the diffusive expanded state, the diffusive collapsed state, and the localized collapsed state. Importantly, we found a counter-intuitive phenomenon, i.e., crowded environments facilitate the diffusion of the active polymer within a large parameter space. As the crowdedness (packing fraction of obstacles) increases, the parameter space in which crowding-enhanced diffusion occurs still remains. This abnormal dynamics is attributed to a structural reason that the obstacles prevent active chains from collapsing. Our findings capture some generic features of active polymers in complex environments and provide insights into the design of novel drug delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Wu
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Jia-Xiang Li
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Qun-Li Lei
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
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Theeyancheri L, Sahoo R, Kumar P, Chakrabarti R. In Silico Studies of Active Probe Dynamics in Crowded Media. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:33637-33650. [PMID: 36188301 PMCID: PMC9520552 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c04709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Active systems are made of agents, each of which takes energy from the environment and converts it to directed motion. Therefore, by construction, these systems function out of equilibrium and cannot be described using equilibrium statistical mechanics. Though the most studied aspect has been the collective motion of active particles, the motion at the individual particle level in crowded media is also of prime importance. Examples include the motion of bacteria in hydrogels, single cell migration as a way to search for food or escape from toxic agents, and synthetic active agents transporting through soft crowded media. This review presents an overview of our understanding of single active probe dynamics in crowded media from computer simulations. The active probe is a Janus or a dumbbell-shaped particle, and the medium is made of crowders that are either sticky or repulsive to the probe and could be frozen or mobile. The density and the topology of the crowders also play an important role. We hope our in silico studies will help to elucidate the mechanism of activity-driven transport in crowded media in general and design nanomachines for targeted delivery.
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