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Active Brownian filaments with hydrodynamic interactions: conformations and dynamics
Aitor Martín-Gómez1, Thomas Eisenstecken, Gerhard Gompper
1Theoretical Soft Matter and Biophysics, Institute for Advanced Simulation and Institute of Complex Systems, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany. r.winkler@fz-juelich.de g.gompper@fz-juelich.de.
Soft Matter
|April 24, 2019
Summary
Hydrodynamic interactions significantly alter active polymer behavior, causing shrinkage at moderate activity levels and affecting dynamics like enhanced displacement and subdiffusion. Analytical models show weaker effects than simulations.
Area of Science:
- Soft Matter Physics
- Polymer Physics
- Statistical Mechanics
Background:
- Active polymers exhibit unique conformational and dynamical properties driven by self-propulsion.
- Hydrodynamic interactions (HI) play a crucial role in mediating behavior in polymeric systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of hydrodynamic interactions on the conformational and dynamical properties of active self-propelled polymers.
- To compare results from Brownian dynamics simulations and analytical theory.
Main Methods:
- Brownian dynamics simulations of discrete linear chains of active Brownian particles.
- Analytical theory using continuous linear semiflexible polymers with diffusive active velocities.
- Incorporation of hydrodynamic interactions via preaveraged Oseen and Rotne-Prager-Yamakawa tensors.
Main Results:
- Hydrodynamic interactions induce significant polymer shrinkage, especially at moderate activity, contrasting with swelling in free-draining active polymers.
- Enhanced polymer mean square displacement and an activity-dependent ballistic regime were observed.
- Flexible active polymers display a hydrodynamically governed subdiffusive regime with an exponent smaller than passive polymer models.
- Analytical predictions showed weaker hydrodynamic effects compared to simulation results.
Conclusions:
- Hydrodynamic interactions substantially modify the conformational and dynamical properties of active polymers.
- The interplay between activity and HI leads to complex behaviors like activity-dependent shrinkage and altered diffusion regimes.
- Discrepancies between analytical and simulation methods highlight the complexity of accurately modeling these systems.
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