Statistical mechanics far from equilibrium: prediction and test for a sheared system

TL;DR

This paper develops a statistical mechanics framework for predicting the behavior of sheared complex fluids far from equilibrium, verified through numerical simulations that match theoretical predictions.

Contribution

It introduces a first-principles statistical theory for non-equilibrium steady states in sheared complex fluids and validates it with numerical simulations.

Findings

Simulation data confirms theoretical invariant quantities.

Statistical treatment accurately predicts non-equilibrium steady states.

Demonstrates applicability of statistical mechanics to far-from-equilibrium systems.

Abstract

We report the complete statistical treatment of a system of particles interacting via Newtonian forces in continuous boundary-driven flow, far from equilibrium. By numerically time-stepping the force-balance equations of a model fluid we measure occupancies and transition rates in simulation. The high-shear-rate simulation data verify the invariant quantities predicted by our statistical theory, thus demonstrating that a class of non-equilibrium steady states of matter, namely sheared complex fluids, is amenable to statistical treatment from first principles.