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Activity waves in condensed excitable phases of Quincke rollers
Meng Fei Zhang1, Bao Ying Fan1, Chuan Yu Zhang1
1Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, P. R. China. zhangtianhui@suda.edu.cn.
Soft Matter
|January 13, 2025
Summary
Active colloids of Quincke rollers create tunable excitable phases. These active liquids and crystals exhibit distinct wave dynamics, offering new insights into nonlinear phenomena.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Soft Matter Physics
- Nonlinear Dynamics
Background:
- Traveling waves are common in excitable systems, but their microscopic dynamics are often hard to study.
- Conventional excitable media lack tunability in wave behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate active colloids of Quincke rollers as a novel excitable medium.
- To explore the tunable dynamics of wave propagation in condensed excitable phases.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing active colloids of Quincke rollers subjected to a periodic electric field.
- Observing and analyzing wave propagation in two distinct condensed phases: active liquids and active crystals.
Main Results:
- Condensed excitable phases were formed, tunable between active liquids and active crystals.
- Active liquids exhibited waves that split and crossed over (sound-like).
- Active crystals showed waves that annihilated or converged (shock-like), influenced by density-dependent memory.
Conclusions:
- Active colloids provide a controllable system to study diverse wave dynamics.
- The distinct wave behaviors in liquids and crystals offer insights into electrostatic repulsion and propulsion memory.
- This system opens new avenues for exploring nonlinear phenomena.
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