TitleActive fluidization in dense glassy systems.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsMandal R, Bhuyan PJyoti, Rao M, Dasgupta C
JournalSoft Matter
Volume12
Issue29
Pagination6268-76
Date Published2016 Jul 20
ISSN1744-6848
Abstract

Dense soft glasses show strong collective caging behavior at sufficiently low temperatures. Using molecular dynamics simulations of a model glass former, we show that the incorporation of activity or self-propulsion, f0, can induce cage breaking and fluidization, resulting in the disappearance of the glassy phase beyond a critical f0. The diffusion coefficient crosses over from being strongly to weakly temperature dependent as f0 is increased. In addition, we demonstrate that activity induces a crossover from a fragile to a strong glass and a tendency of active particles to cluster. Our results are of direct relevance to the collective dynamics of dense active colloidal glasses and to recent experiments on tagged particle diffusion in living cells.

DOI10.1039/c5sm02950c
Alternate JournalSoft Matter
PubMed ID27380935