Spontaneous polarization and locomotion of an active particle with surface-mobile enzymes

De Corato, Marco (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Pagonabarraga, Ignacio ; Abdelmohsen, Loai K. E. A. ; Sánchez, Samuel ; Arroyo, Marino

Resumen: We examine a mechanism of locomotion of active particles whose surface is uniformly coated with mobile enzymes. The enzymes catalyze a reaction that drives phoretic flows but their homogeneous distribution forbids locomotion by symmetry. We find that the ability of the enzymes to migrate over the surface combined with self-phoresis can lead to a spontaneous symmetry-breaking instability whereby the homogeneous distribution of enzymes polarizes and the particle propels. The instability is driven by the advection of enzymes by the phoretic flows and occurs above a critical Péclet number. The transition to polarized motile states occurs via a supercritical or subcritical pitchfork bifurcations, the latter of which enables hysteresis and coexistence of uniform and polarized states.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevFluids.5.122001

Año: 2020

Publicado en: Physical Review Fluids 5, 12 (2020), 122001 [11 pp.]
ISSN: 2469-990X

Factor impacto JCR: 2.537 (2020)

Categ. JCR: PHYSICS, FLUIDS & PLASMAS rank: 11 / 34 = 0.324 (2020) - Q2 - T1

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 1.244 - Computational Mechanics (Q1) - Modeling and Simulation (Q1) - Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes (Q1)

Tipo y forma: Artículo (PostPrint)

Área (Departamento): Área Mecánica de Fluidos (Dpto. Ciencia Tecnol.Mater.Fl.)