Obstacle-tuned transition from chaotic to coherent vortex flows and odd diffusion in chiral active fluids

TL;DR

This study explores how obstacles influence vortex formation, turbulence, and diffusion in chiral active fluids, revealing controllable transitions between different flow regimes and enhanced diffusion due to obstacle-induced effects.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analysis of obstacle-induced flow transitions and diffusion enhancement in chiral active fluids using theoretical and simulation approaches.

Findings

Obstacles induce vortex flows opposite to rotor rotation near surfaces.

Flow regimes can be tuned by rotor density and obstacle size.

Obstacle presence enhances colloidal diffusion via odd diffusive fluxes.

Abstract

The interaction of a suspension of rotating colloids with a periodically patterned structure is here investigated by means of continuum theoretical predictions and hydrodynamic simulations. Close to the obstacle surface, rotors circulate opposite to their inherent direction of rotation as a result of unidirectional rotational stresses, which is in agreement with a prediction of the generalised Stokes equation. The resulting stationary background flow significantly affects the system dynamics and coexists with the intrinsic active turbulent behaviour. The relative importance of either of the two contributions can be controlled with the rotor density and the obstacle size, such that the system is either dominated by stationary vortices pinned to the obstacles or vivid active turbulent dynamics. While momentum dissipation into an underlying frictional substrate damps the related flows, small values of the friction can enhance the vortex flow around an obstacle. The colloids' diffusive dynamics are governed by odd diffusive fluxes guiding the colloids around the excluded volume introduced by obstacles, such that enhanced effective diffusive transport is obtained at finite obstruction. Our results pave the way to systematically address how confinement can be employed in order to control or harness the dynamics of colloidal chiral active turbulence and how the interplay of emerging edge currents and active turbulent dynamics at varying densities can be systematically determined.