Enhanced dynamics of active Brownian particles in periodic obstacle arrays and corrugated channels

TL;DR

This study investigates how periodic obstacle arrays and corrugated channels influence the motion of active Brownian particles, revealing enhanced persistent motion, directionality, and super-diffusive behavior depending on obstacle arrangement and activity level.

Contribution

It demonstrates the impact of periodic obstacle arrangements on ABP dynamics, highlighting increased persistence, directionality, and super-diffusion, which are novel insights into active matter transport in structured environments.

Findings

Periodic obstacles enhance ABP persistence and directionality.

ABP exhibits super-diffusive behavior in corrugated channels.

Transport depends on obstacle packing, not shape, in corrugated channels.

Abstract

We study the motion of an active Brownian particle (ABP) using overdamped Langevin dynamics on a two-dimensional substrate with periodic array of obstacles and in a quasi-one-dimensional corrugated channel comprised of periodically arrayed obstacles. The periodic arrangement of the obstacles enhances the persistent motion of the ABP in comparison to its motion in the free space. Persistent motion increases with the activity of the ABP. We note that the periodic arrangement induces directionality in ABP motion at late time, and it increases with the size of the obstacles. We also note that the ABP exhibits a super-diffusive dynamics in the corrugated channel. The transport property is independent of the shape of the channel; rather it depends on the packing fraction of the obstacles in the system. However, the ABP shows the usual diffusive dynamics in the quasi-one-dimensional channel with flat boundary.