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Mixtures of self-propelled particles interacting with asymmetric obstacles

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Abstract

In the presence of an obstacle, active particles condensate into a surface “wetting” layer due to persistent motion. If the obstacle is asymmetric, a rectification current arises in addition to wetting. Asymmetric geometries are therefore commonly used to concentrate microorganisms like bacteria and sperms. However, most studies neglect the fact that biological active matter is diverse, composed of individuals with distinct self-propulsions. Using simulations, we study a mixture of “fast” and “slow” active Brownian disks in two dimensions interacting with large half-disk obstacles. With this prototypical obstacle geometry, we analyze how the stationary collective behavior depends on the degree of self-propulsion “diversity,” defined as proportional to the difference between the self-propulsion speeds, while keeping the average self-propulsion speed fixed. A wetting layer rich in fast particles arises. The rectification current is amplified by speed diversity due to a superlinear dependence of rectification on self-propulsion speed, which arises from cooperative effects. Thus, the total rectification current cannot be obtained from an effective one-component active fluid with the same average self-propulsion speed, highlighting the importance of considering diversity in active matter.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Notes

  1. The modified WCA potential used here has smooth second derivative, allowing it to be more suitable for (future) theoretical developments. Other repulsive potentials produce similar results.

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Acknowledgements

MR-V and RS are supported by Fondecyt Grant No. 1220536 and Millennium Science Initiative Program NCN19_170D of ANID, Chile. P.d.C. was supported by Scholarships Nos. 2021/10139-2 and 2022/13872-5 and ICTP-SAIFR Grant No. 2021/14335-0, all granted by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), Brazil.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400, Klosterneuburg, Austria

    Mauricio Rojas-Vega

  2. ICTP South American Institute for Fundamental Research and Instituto de Física Teórica, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, São Paulo, 01140-070, Brazil

    Pablo de Castro

  3. Departamento de Física, FCFM, Universidad de Chile, Avenida Blanco Encalada 2008, Santiago, Chile

    Rodrigo Soto

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  1. Mauricio Rojas-Vega
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  2. Pablo de Castro
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Contributions

Original conceptualization: PDC; Simulations: MR-V; Formal analysis and investigation: MR-V, PDC and RS; Writing—original draft preparation: MR-V and PDC; Writing—review and editing: MR-V, PDC and RS; Supervision: PDC and RS.

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Correspondence to Pablo de Castro.

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Rojas-Vega, M., de Castro, P. & Soto, R. Mixtures of self-propelled particles interacting with asymmetric obstacles. Eur. Phys. J. E 46, 95 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/s10189-023-00354-y

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