Phase Coexistence Implications of Violating Newton's Third Law

TL;DR

This study uses simulations to investigate how breaking Newton's third law at the microscopic level influences macroscopic phase behavior, revealing novel phases and structures in nonequilibrium systems.

Contribution

It introduces a model to quantify nonreciprocal interactions and maps the resulting complex phase diagram, highlighting new phases absent in equilibrium systems.

Findings

Nonreciprocity induces diverse phases including three-phase coexistence.

Novel traveling crystal and liquid states are observed.

Phase behavior significantly deviates from equilibrium predictions.

Abstract

Newton's third law, actio = reactio, is a foundational statement of classical mechanics. However, in natural and living systems, this law appears to be routinely violated for constituents interacting in a nonequilibrium environment. Here, we use computer simulations to explore the macroscopic phase behavior implications of breaking microscopic interaction reciprocity for a simple model system. We consider a binary mixture of attractive particles and introduce a parameter which is a continuous measure of the degree to which interaction reciprocity is broken. In the reciprocal limit, the species are indistinguishable and the system phase separates into domains with distinct densities and identical compositions. Increasing nonreciprocity is found to drive the system to explore a rich assortment of phases, including phases with strong composition asymmetries and three-phase coexistence. Many of the states induced by these forces, including traveling crystals and liquids, have no equilibrium analogue. By mapping the complete phase diagram for this model system and characterizing these unique phases, our findings offer a concrete path forward towards understanding how nonreciprocity shapes the structures found in living systems and how this might be leveraged in the design of synthetic materials.