Complex Spontaneous Flows and Concentration Banding in Active Polar Films

2008/05/12 by Luca Giomi, M. Cristina Marchetti, Tanniemola B. Liverpool · 7 citations
Computer Science · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Materials and Mechanics #Micro and Nano Robotics #Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation #cond-mat.soft

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.101.198101

published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 198101 (2008) · 4 pages, 3 figures

arxiv created 2008/05/12 · openalex publication_date 2008/11/04 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

We study the dynamical properties of active polar liquid crystalline films. Like active nematic films, active polar films undergo a dynamical transition to spontaneously flowing steady states. Spontaneous flow in polar fluids is, however, always accompanied by strong concentration inhomogeneities or "banding" not seen in nematics. In addition, a spectacular property unique to polar active films is their ability to generate spontaneously oscillating and banded flows even at low activity. The oscillatory flows become increasingly complicated for strong polarity.

Citations

• Hydrodynamic Fluctuations and Instabilities in Ordered Suspensions of Self-Propelled Particles

Cited by

• Sheared active fluids: Thickening, thinning, and vanishing viscosity
• Substrate rigidity deforms and polarizes active gels
• Classical Nucleation Theory Description of Active Colloid Assembly
• Colloids in Active Fluids: Anomalous Microrheology and Negative Drag
• The Mechanics and Statistics of Active Matter
• Self-propulsion of an active polar drop
• Shear-Induced First-Order Transition in Polar Liquid Crystals

Related

• Spontaneous Flows and Quantum Analogies in Heterogeneous Active Nematic Films
• Stable long-range uniaxial order in active fluids at two-dimensional interfaces
• Ordering, spontaneous flows and aging in active fluids depositing tracks
• Density-polarity coupling in confined active polar films: asters, spirals, and biphasic orientational phases
• Defect Dynamics in Active Polar Fluids vs. Active Nematics