Topology controls flow patterns in active double emulsions
Abstract Active emulsions and liquid crystalline shells are intriguing and experimentally realisable types of topological matter. Here we numerically study the morphology and spatiotemporal dynamics of a double emulsion, where one or two passive small droplets are embedded in a larger active droplet...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56236-8 |
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| author | Giuseppe Negro Louise C. Head Livio N. Carenza Tyler N. Shendruk Davide Marenduzzo Giuseppe Gonnella Adriano Tiribocchi |
| author_facet | Giuseppe Negro Louise C. Head Livio N. Carenza Tyler N. Shendruk Davide Marenduzzo Giuseppe Gonnella Adriano Tiribocchi |
| author_sort | Giuseppe Negro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Active emulsions and liquid crystalline shells are intriguing and experimentally realisable types of topological matter. Here we numerically study the morphology and spatiotemporal dynamics of a double emulsion, where one or two passive small droplets are embedded in a larger active droplet. We find activity introduces a variety of rich and nontrivial nonequilibrium states in the system. First, a double emulsion with a single active droplet becomes self-motile, and there is a transition between translational and rotational motion: both of these regimes remain defect-free, hence topologically trivial. Second, a pair of particles nucleate one or more disclination loops, with conformational dynamics resembling a rotor or chaotic oscillator, accessed by tuning activity. In the first state a single, topologically charged, disclination loop powers the rotation. In the latter state, this disclination stretches and writhes in 3D, continuously undergoing recombination to yield an example of an active living polymer. These emulsions can be self-assembled in the lab, and provide a pathway to form flow and topological patterns in active matter in a controlled way, as opposed to bulk systems that typically yield active turbulence. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b856cbc4cb7b4742957d477aae623706 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-b856cbc4cb7b4742957d477aae6237062025-02-09T12:46:08ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-02-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-56236-8Topology controls flow patterns in active double emulsionsGiuseppe Negro0Louise C. Head1Livio N. Carenza2Tyler N. Shendruk3Davide Marenduzzo4Giuseppe Gonnella5Adriano Tiribocchi6SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of EdinburghSUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of EdinburghPhysics Department, College of Sciences, Koç UniversitySUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of EdinburghSUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of EdinburghDipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Bari and INFN, Sezione di BariIstituto per le Applicazioni del Calcolo, Consiglio Nazionale delle RicercheAbstract Active emulsions and liquid crystalline shells are intriguing and experimentally realisable types of topological matter. Here we numerically study the morphology and spatiotemporal dynamics of a double emulsion, where one or two passive small droplets are embedded in a larger active droplet. We find activity introduces a variety of rich and nontrivial nonequilibrium states in the system. First, a double emulsion with a single active droplet becomes self-motile, and there is a transition between translational and rotational motion: both of these regimes remain defect-free, hence topologically trivial. Second, a pair of particles nucleate one or more disclination loops, with conformational dynamics resembling a rotor or chaotic oscillator, accessed by tuning activity. In the first state a single, topologically charged, disclination loop powers the rotation. In the latter state, this disclination stretches and writhes in 3D, continuously undergoing recombination to yield an example of an active living polymer. These emulsions can be self-assembled in the lab, and provide a pathway to form flow and topological patterns in active matter in a controlled way, as opposed to bulk systems that typically yield active turbulence.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56236-8 |
| spellingShingle | Giuseppe Negro Louise C. Head Livio N. Carenza Tyler N. Shendruk Davide Marenduzzo Giuseppe Gonnella Adriano Tiribocchi Topology controls flow patterns in active double emulsions Nature Communications |
| title | Topology controls flow patterns in active double emulsions |
| title_full | Topology controls flow patterns in active double emulsions |
| title_fullStr | Topology controls flow patterns in active double emulsions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Topology controls flow patterns in active double emulsions |
| title_short | Topology controls flow patterns in active double emulsions |
| title_sort | topology controls flow patterns in active double emulsions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56236-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT giuseppenegro topologycontrolsflowpatternsinactivedoubleemulsions AT louisechead topologycontrolsflowpatternsinactivedoubleemulsions AT livioncarenza topologycontrolsflowpatternsinactivedoubleemulsions AT tylernshendruk topologycontrolsflowpatternsinactivedoubleemulsions AT davidemarenduzzo topologycontrolsflowpatternsinactivedoubleemulsions AT giuseppegonnella topologycontrolsflowpatternsinactivedoubleemulsions AT adrianotiribocchi topologycontrolsflowpatternsinactivedoubleemulsions |