1,449 research outputs found
Phase Separation in Binary Fluid Mixtures with Continuously Ramped Temperature
We consider the demixing of a binary fluid mixture, under gravity, which is
steadily driven into a two phase region by slowly ramping the temperature. We
assume, as a first approximation, that the system remains spatially isothermal,
and examine the interplay of two competing nonlinearities. One of these arises
because the supersaturation is greatest far from the meniscus, creating
inversion of the density which can lead to fluid motion; although isothermal,
this is somewhat like the Benard problem (a single-phase fluid heated from
below). The other is the intrinsic diffusive instability which results either
in nucleation or in spinodal decomposition at large supersaturations.
Experimental results on a simple binary mixture show interesting oscillations
in heat capacity and optical properties for a wide range of ramp parameters. We
argue that these oscillations arise under conditions where both nonlinearities
are important
Dynamical Monte Carlo Study of Equilibrium Polymers : Static Properties
We report results of extensive Dynamical Monte Carlo investigations on
self-assembled Equilibrium Polymers (EP) without loops in good solvent. (This
is thought to provide a good model of giant surfactant micelles.) Using a novel
algorithm we are able to describe efficiently both static and dynamic
properties of systems in which the mean chain length \Lav is effectively
comparable to that of laboratory experiments (up to 5000 monomers, even at high
polymer densities). We sample up to scission energies of over
nearly three orders of magnitude in monomer density , and present a
detailed crossover study ranging from swollen EP chains in the dilute regime up
to dense molten systems. Confirming recent theoretical predictions, the
mean-chain length is found to scale as \Lav \propto \phi^\alpha \exp(\delta
E) where the exponents approach
and in the
dilute and semidilute limits respectively. The chain length distribution is
qualitatively well described in the dilute limit by the Schulz-Zimm
distribution \cN(s)\approx s^{\gamma-1} \exp(-s) where the scaling variable
is s=\gamma L/\Lav. The very large size of these simulations allows also an
accurate determination of the self-avoiding walk susceptibility exponent
. ....... Finite-size effects are discussed in
detail.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, LATE
Nonequilibrium steady states in sheared binary fluids
We simulate by lattice Boltzmann the steady shearing of a binary fluid
mixture undergoing phase separation with full hydrodynamics in two dimensions.
Contrary to some theoretical scenarios, a dynamical steady state is attained
with finite domain lengths in the directions ( of velocity and
velocity gradient. Apparent scaling exponents are estimated as
and . We discuss
the relative roles of diffusivity and hydrodynamics in attaining steady state.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Binary fluids under steady shear in three dimensions
We simulate by lattice Boltzmann the steady shearing of a binary fluid
mixture with full hydrodynamics in three dimensions. Contrary to some
theoretical scenarios, a dynamical steady state is attained with finite
correlation lengths in all three spatial directions. Using large simulations we
obtain at moderately high Reynolds numbers apparent scaling expon ents
comparable to those found by us previously in 2D. However, in 3D there may be a
crossover to different behavior at low Reynolds number: accessing this regime
requires even larger computational resource than used here.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Colloidal templating at a cholesteric - oil interface: Assembly guided by an array of disclination lines
We simulate colloids (radius m) trapped at the interface between
a cholesteric liquid crystal and an immiscible oil, at which the helical order
(pitch p) in the bulk conflicts with the orientation induced at the interface,
stabilizing an ordered array of disclinations. For weak anchoring strength W of
the director field at the colloidal surface, this creates a template, favoring
particle positions eitheron top of or midway between defect lines, depending on
. For small , optical microscopy experiments confirm this
picture, but for larger no templating is seen. This may stem from the
emergence at moderate W of a rugged energy landscape associated with defect
reconnections.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Large time dynamics and aging of a polymer chain in a random potential
We study the out-of-equilibrium large time dynamics of a gaussian polymer
chain in a quenched random potential. The dynamics studied is a simple Langevin
dynamics commonly referred to as the Rouse model. The equations for the
two-time correlation and response function are derived within the gaussian
variational approximation. In order to implement this approximation faithfully,
we employ the supersymmetric representation of the Martin-Siggia-Rose dynamical
action. For a short ranged correlated random potential the equations are solved
analytically in the limit of large times using certain assumptions concerning
the asymptotic behavior. Two possible dynamical behaviors are identified
depending upon the time separation- a stationary regime and an aging regime. In
the stationary regime time translation invariance holds and so is the
fluctuation dissipation theorem. The aging regime which occurs for large time
separations of the two-time correlation functions is characterized by history
dependence and the breakdown of certain equilibrium relations. The large time
limit of the equations yields equations among the order parameters that are
similar to the equations obtained in the statics using replicas. In particular
the aging solution corresponds to the broken replica solution. But there is a
difference in one equation that leads to important consequences for the
solution. The stationary regime corresponds to the motion of the polymer inside
a local minimum of the random potential, whereas in the aging regime the
polymer hops between different minima. As a byproduct we also solve exactly the
dynamics of a chain in a random potential with quadratic correlations.Comment: 21 pages, RevTeX
When are active Brownian particles and run-and-tumble particles equivalent? Consequences for motility-induced phase separation
Active Brownian particles (ABPs, such as self-phoretic colloids) swim at
fixed speed along a body-axis that rotates by slow angular
diffusion. Run-and-tumble particles (RTPs, such as motile bacteria) swim with
constant \u until a random tumble event suddenly decorrelates the
orientation. We show that when the motility parameters depend on density
but not on , the coarse-grained fluctuating hydrodynamics of
interacting ABPs and RTPs can be mapped onto each other and are thus strictly
equivalent. In both cases, a steeply enough decreasing causes phase
separation in dimensions , even when no attractive forces act between
the particles. This points to a generic role for motility-induced phase
separation in active matter. However, we show that the ABP/RTP equivalence does
not automatically extend to the more general case of \u-dependent motilities
A cluster mode-coupling approach to weak gelation in attractive colloids
Mode-coupling theory (MCT) predicts arrest of colloids in terms of their
volume fraction, and the range and depth of the interparticle attraction. We
discuss how effective values of these parameters evolve under cluster
aggregation. We argue that weak gelation in colloids can be idealized as a
two-stage ergodicity breaking: first at short scales (approximated by the bare
MCT) and then at larger scales (governed by MCT applied to clusters). The
competition between arrest and phase separation is considered in relation to
recent experiments. We predict a long-lived `semi-ergodic' phase of mobile
clusters, showing logarithmic relaxation close to the gel line.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Phase separation and rotor self-assembly in active particle suspensions
Adding a non-adsorbing polymer to passive colloids induces an attraction
between the particles via the `depletion' mechanism. High enough polymer
concentrations lead to phase separation. We combine experiments, theory and
simulations to demonstrate that using active colloids (such as motile bacteria)
dramatically changes the physics of such mixtures. First, significantly
stronger inter-particle attraction is needed to cause phase separation.
Secondly, the finite size aggregates formed at lower inter-particle attraction
show unidirectional rotation. These micro-rotors demonstrate the self assembly
of functional structures using active particles. The angular speed of the
rotating clusters scales approximately as the inverse of their size, which may
be understood theoretically by assuming that the torques exerted by the
outermost bacteria in a cluster add up randomly. Our simulations suggest that
both the suppression of phase separation and the self assembly of rotors are
generic features of aggregating swimmers, and should therefore occur in a
variety of biological and synthetic active particle systems.Comment: Main text: 6 pages, 5 figures. Supplementary information: 5 pages, 4
figures. Supplementary movies available from
httP://www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.1116334109/-/DCSupplementa
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