Phase separation of chemokinetic active particles
Abstract Motility-induced phase separation (MIPS) is a well-studied nonequilibrium collective phenomenon observed in active particles. Recently, there has been growing interest in how coupling the self-propulsion of active particles to chemical degrees of freedom affects MIPS. Although the effects o...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Communications Physics |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02211-0 |
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| author | Euijoon Kwon Yongjae Oh Yongjoo Baek |
| author_facet | Euijoon Kwon Yongjae Oh Yongjoo Baek |
| author_sort | Euijoon Kwon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Motility-induced phase separation (MIPS) is a well-studied nonequilibrium collective phenomenon observed in active particles. Recently, there has been growing interest in how coupling the self-propulsion of active particles to chemical degrees of freedom affects MIPS. Although the effects of chemotaxis on MIPS have been extensively studied, little is known about how chemokinesis affects MIPS. In this study, we demonstrate that various patterns can be induced when active particles consume chemicals and exhibit chemokinesis, where higher chemical concentrations enhance self-propulsion without causing alignment with the chemical gradient. We discover that MIPS is intensified if chemical consumption is proportional to particle density (as in the basal metabolic regime), but it is suppressed if chemical consumption is closely tied to particle motion (as in the active metabolic regime). While the former produces large-scale phase separation via coarsening, the latter suppresses the coarsening process, leading to microphase separation and oscillating patterns. We also derive a hydrodynamic theory that describes these findings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-75e7c6aff7174e9495b42b694fc97c97 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2399-3650 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-75e7c6aff7174e9495b42b694fc97c972025-08-20T03:05:03ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Physics2399-36502025-07-018111110.1038/s42005-025-02211-0Phase separation of chemokinetic active particlesEuijoon Kwon0Yongjae Oh1Yongjoo Baek2Department of Physics and Astronomy & Center for Theoretical Physics, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Physics and Astronomy & Center for Theoretical Physics, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Physics and Astronomy & Center for Theoretical Physics, Seoul National UniversityAbstract Motility-induced phase separation (MIPS) is a well-studied nonequilibrium collective phenomenon observed in active particles. Recently, there has been growing interest in how coupling the self-propulsion of active particles to chemical degrees of freedom affects MIPS. Although the effects of chemotaxis on MIPS have been extensively studied, little is known about how chemokinesis affects MIPS. In this study, we demonstrate that various patterns can be induced when active particles consume chemicals and exhibit chemokinesis, where higher chemical concentrations enhance self-propulsion without causing alignment with the chemical gradient. We discover that MIPS is intensified if chemical consumption is proportional to particle density (as in the basal metabolic regime), but it is suppressed if chemical consumption is closely tied to particle motion (as in the active metabolic regime). While the former produces large-scale phase separation via coarsening, the latter suppresses the coarsening process, leading to microphase separation and oscillating patterns. We also derive a hydrodynamic theory that describes these findings.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02211-0 |
| spellingShingle | Euijoon Kwon Yongjae Oh Yongjoo Baek Phase separation of chemokinetic active particles Communications Physics |
| title | Phase separation of chemokinetic active particles |
| title_full | Phase separation of chemokinetic active particles |
| title_fullStr | Phase separation of chemokinetic active particles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phase separation of chemokinetic active particles |
| title_short | Phase separation of chemokinetic active particles |
| title_sort | phase separation of chemokinetic active particles |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02211-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT euijoonkwon phaseseparationofchemokineticactiveparticles AT yongjaeoh phaseseparationofchemokineticactiveparticles AT yongjoobaek phaseseparationofchemokineticactiveparticles |