Cooperative Transport of Brownian Particles

TL;DR

This paper investigates the collective behavior of Brownian particles in a periodic potential, revealing novel phenomena such as current reversal and complex velocity dependence on particle size and spacing.

Contribution

It introduces a model demonstrating new cooperative transport phenomena, including current reversal and velocity dependence on particle parameters.

Findings

Current reverses direction with increased particle density

Average velocity depends strongly on particle size and spacing

Reveals complex collective transport behaviors in Brownian systems

Abstract

We consider the collective motion of finite-sized, overdamped Brownian particles (e.g., motor proteins) in a periodic potential. Simulations of our model have revealed a number of novel cooperative transport phenomena, including (i) the reversal of direction of the net current as the particle density is increased and (ii) a very strong and complex dependence of the average velocity on both the size and the average distance of the particles.