Ideal circle microswimmers in crowded media

Soft Matter. 2019 Jan 21;15(3):452-461. doi: 10.1039/c8sm02030b. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Abstract

Microswimmers are exposed in nature to crowded environments and their transport properties depend in a subtle way on the interaction with obstacles. Here, we investigate a model for a single ideal circle swimmer exploring a two-dimensional disordered array of impenetrable obstacles. The microswimmer moves on circular orbits in the freely accessible space and follows the surface of an obstacle for a certain time upon collision. Depending on the obstacle density and the radius of the circular orbits, the microswimmer displays either long-range transport or is localized in a finite region. We show that there are transitions from two localized states to a diffusive state each driven by an underlying static percolation transition. We determine the non-equilibrium state diagram and calculate the mean-square displacements and diffusivities by computer simulations. Close to the transition lines transport becomes subdiffusive which is rationalized as a dynamic critical phenomenon.

MeSH terms

  • Diffusion
  • Models, Theoretical*
  • Motion*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*