Emergent lengthscales in confined 3D Active Incipient Nematics

ORAL

Abstract

An incipient nematic is a system whose density is smaller than the critical density for isotropic-nematic transition. The stationary isotropic state, which is the stable equilibrium of a passive incipient nematic, can be destabilized by the effects of extensile activity combined with flow alignment. We study the properties of flows that arise from this instability in confined 3D systems. Calculations from hydrodynamic theory, and experimental measurements on a microtubule-based system show long-range velocity correlations, in the absence of such correlations in nematic order. Further, we show that there exists a confinement-independent lengthscale intrinsic to flows in an active incipient nematic that determines its bulk behavior.

*This work was supported by the Brandeis University MRSEC, and high performance computing resources from Texas Advanced Computing Center

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Presenters

  • Minu Varghese

    • Martin A. Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University
    • Physics Department, Brandeis University

Authors

  • Minu Varghese

    • Martin A. Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University
    • Physics Department, Brandeis University

  • Yi Fan

    • Department of Engineering, Brown University

  • Arvind Baskaran

    • Physics, Brandeis University
    • Martin A. Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University
    • Physics Department, Brandeis University

  • Kun-Ta Wu

    • Worcester Polytechnic Institute
    • Physics Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

  • Zvonimir Dogic

    • Physics Department, University of California, Santa Barbara

  • Seth Fraden

    • Physics, Brandeis University
    • Brandeis University
    • Physics Department, Brandeis University
    • Department of Physics, Brandeis University

  • Michael F Hagan

    • Chemistry, Brandeis University
    • Physics, Brandeis University
    • Brandeis University
    • Martin A. Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University
    • Physics Department, Brandeis University

  • Kenny Breuer

    • Department of Engineering, Brown University

  • Aparna Baskaran

    • Brandeis University
    • Physics, Brandeis University
    • Martin A. Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University
    • Physics Department, Brandeis University