Dewetting and spreading transitions for active matter on random pinning substrates

Journal Article · Tue May 23 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Journal of Chemical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4983344· OSTI ID:1504640

Sandor, Csanad ^[1]; Libal, Andras Jozsef ^[1]; Reichhardt, Charles  ^[2]; Reichhardt, Cynthia Jane  ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Babeş-Bolyai Univ., Cluj (Romania)
2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Here, we show that sterically interacting self-propelled disks in the presence of random pinning substrates exhibit transitions among a variety of different states. In particular, from a phase separated cluster state, the disks can spread out and homogeneously cover the substrate in what can be viewed as an example of an active matter wetting transition. We map the location of this transition as a function of activity, disk density, and substrate strength, and we also identify other phases including a cluster state, coexistence between a cluster and a labyrinth wetted phase, and a pinned liquid. Convenient measures of these phases include the cluster size, which dips at the wetting-dewetting transition, and the fraction of sixfold coordinated particles, which drops when dewetting occurs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001; AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1504640
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1361890
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-16-26337
• Journal Information: Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 146, Issue 20; ISSN 0021-9606
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY