A computational study of a transversely propelling polymer and passive particles

TL;DR

This study uses Langevin dynamics simulations to explore how a transversely propelling polymer can collect passive particles, revealing dynamics of trapping, velocity changes, and particle arrangements in a two-dimensional system.

Contribution

It introduces a computational model demonstrating how a sideways propelling polymer acts as a particle collector, highlighting factors influencing trapping efficiency and particle packing.

Findings

Polymer acts as a sweeper collecting passive particles.

Velocity decreases with particle trapping and reaches a terminal value.

Collected particles form a triangular, packed structure.

Abstract

Using Langevin dynamics simulations, we study a system of transversely propelling filament and passive Brownian particles. We consider a polymer whose monomers experience a constant propulsion force perpendicular to the local tangent in the presence of passive particles undergoing thermal fluctuations in two dimensions. We demonstrate that the sideways propelling polymer can act as a sweeper to collect the passive Brownian particles, mimicking a shuttle-cargo system. The number of particles the polymer collects during its motion increases with time and finally saturates to a maximum number. Moreover, the velocity of the polymer decreases as the particles get trapped due to the extra drag they generate. Rather than going to zero, the velocity eventually reaches a terminal value close to the contribution from the thermal velocity when it collects the maximum load. We show that, apart from the length of the polymer, the propulsion strength and the number of passive particles are deciding factors for the maximum trapped particles. In addition, we demonstrate that the collected particles arrange themselves in a triangular, closed, packed state, similar to what has been observed in