Spontaneous rotation and propulsion of suspended capsules in active nematics
- Author(s)
- Júlio P.A. Santos, Margarida M. Telo da Gama, Rodrigo C.V. Coelho
- Abstract
We investigate the dynamics of elastic capsules suspended in two-dimensional active nematic fluids using lattice Boltzmann simulations. The capsules, modeled as flexible membranes enclosing active internal regions, exhibit a rich variety of behaviors shaped by their geometry and the interplay between internal and external activity. Circular capsules with active interiors undergo persistent rotation driven by internally confined +1/2 topological defects. Axisymmetric capsules, such as boomerangs, develop directed motion along their axis of symmetry due to unbalanced active forces generated by defect distributions near their boundaries. We further show that capsule flexibility suppresses motility and rotation, as active stresses are dissipated into shape deformations. These findings reveal how shape, deformability, and defect dynamics cooperate to produce emergent motility in soft active matter, with potential applications in the design of microswimmers and drug delivery vehicles.
- Organisation(s)
- Computational and Soft Matter Physics
- External organisation(s)
- Universidade de Lisboa, Hiroshima University, Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas (CBPF)
- Journal
- Physical Review E
- Volume
- 113
- No. of pages
- 6
- ISSN
- 2470-0045
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2510.17643
- Publication date
- 04-2026
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 103015 Condensed matter, 103043 Computational physics
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Statistical and Nonlinear Physics, Statistics and Probability, Condensed Matter Physics
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/1e80e29a-8e9e-4f5e-bd32-e597286fb7e9