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Rheology of Active-Particle Suspensions

Yashodhan Hatwalne·Sriram Ramaswamy·Madan Rao·R. Aditi Simha
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Abstract

We study the interplay of activity, order and flow through a set of coarse-grained equations governing the hydrodynamic velocity, concentration and stress fields in a suspension of active, energy-dissipating particles. We make several predictions for the rheology of such systems, which can be tested on bacterial suspensions, cell extracts with motors and filaments, or artificial machines in a fluid. The phenomena of cytoplasmic streaming, elastotaxis and active mechanosensing find natural explanations within our model.

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Yashodhan Hatwalne, Sriram Ramaswamy, Madan Rao, R. Aditi Simha. 2003-08-26. Rheology of Active-Particle Suspensions. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.92.118101

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