arXiv subjects

Ali Najafi

Publications and source records attributed to Ali Najafi.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Entropic forces exerted on a rough wall by a grafted semiflexible polymer

We study the entropic force due to a fluctuating semiflexible polymer that is grafted from one end and confined by a rigid and rough wall from the other end. We show how roughness of the wall modifies the entropic force. In addition to the perpendicular force that is present in the case of a flat wall, roughness of the wall adds a lateral component to the force. Both perpendicular and lateral components of the force are examined for different values of amplitude and wavelength of the roughness and at different temperatures. The lateral force is controlled by the local slope of the wall while the perpendicular force is only sensitive to the curvature of the wall. We show that for small compression, the entropic force is increased by increasing the curvature of the confining wall. In addition to the biophysical relevance, the results may also be useful in developing an AFM based experimental technique for probing the roughness of surfaces.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2014

Rheological properties of a dilute suspension of self-propelled particles

With a detail microscopic model for a self-propelled swimmer, we derive the rheological properties of a dilute suspension of such particles at small Peclet numbers. It is shown that, in addition to the Einstein's like contribution to the effective viscosity, that is proportional to the volume fraction of the swimmers, a contribution due to the activity of self-propelled particles influences the viscosity. As a result of the activity of swimmers, the effective viscosity would be a lower (higher) than the viscosity of the suspending medium when the particles are pushers (pullers). Such activity dependent contribution, will also results to a non-Newtonian behavior of the suspension in the form of normal stress differences.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2011

Buckling instability for a charged and fluctuating semiflexible polymer

In this article we address the problem of Euler's buckling instability in a charged semi-flexible polymer that is under the action of a compressive force. We consider this instability as a phase transition and investigate the role of thermal fluctuations in the buckling critical force. By performing molecular dynamic simulations, we show that the critical force decreases when the temperature increases. Repulsive electrostatic interaction in the finite temperature is in competition with thermal fluctuations to increase the buckling threshold.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2010

Two-sphere low Reynold's propeller

A three-dimensional model of a low-Reynold's swimmer is introduced and analyzed in this paper. This model consists of two large and small spheres connected by two perpendicular thin rods. The geometry of this system is motivated by the microorganisms that use a single tail to swim, the large sphere represents the head of microorganism and the small sphere resembles its tail. Each rod changes its length and orientation in a non-reciprocal manner that effectively propel the system. Translational and rotational velocities of the swimmer are studied for different values of parameters. Our findings show that by changing the parameters we can adjust both the velocity and the direction of motion of the swimmer.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2010

Hydrodynamics of a Micro-Hunter: Chemotactic Scenario

Inspired by bacterial chemotaxis we propose a hydrodynamic molecular scale hunter that can swim and find its target. The system is essentially a stochastic low Reynolds swimmer with ability to move in two dimensional space and sense the local value of the chemical concentration emitted by a target. We show that by adjusting the geometrical and dynamical variables of the swimmer we can always achieve a swimmer that can navigate and search for the region with higher concentration of a chemical emitted from a source. The system discussed here can also be considered as a theoretical framework for describing the bacterial chemotaxis.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2010

Coherent Hydrodynamic Coupling for Stochastic Swimmers

A recently developed theory of stochastic swimming is used to study the notion of coherence in active systems that couple via hydrodynamic interactions. It is shown that correlations between various modes of deformation in stochastic systems play the same role as the relative internal phase in deterministic systems. An example is presented where a simple swimmer can use these correlations to hunt a non-swimmer by forming a hydrodynamic bound state of tunable velocity and equilibrium separation. These results highlight the significance of coherence in the collective behavior of nano-scale stochastic swimmers.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2010

Microtubule Dynamics and Oscillating State for Mitotic Spindle

We present a physical mechanism that can cause the mitotic spindle to oscillate. The driving force for this mechanism emerges from the polymerization of astral microtubules interacting with the cell cortex. We show that Brownian ratchet model for growing microtubules reaching the cell cortex, mediate an effective mass to the spindle body and therefore force it to oscillate. We compare the predictions of this mechanism with the previous mechanisms which were based on the effects of motor proteins. Finally we combine the effects of microtubules polymerization and motor proteins, and present the detailed phase diagram for possible oscillating states.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2004

A Simplest Swimmer at Low Reynolds Number: Three Linked Spheres

We propose a very simple one-dimensional swimmer consisting of three spheres that are linked by rigid rods whose lengths can change between two values. With a periodic motion in a non-reciprocal fashion, which breaks the time-reversal symmetry as well as the translational symmetry, we show that the model device can swim at low Reynolds number. This model system could be used in constructing molecular-size machines.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2003

Forces Induced by Non-Equilibrium Fluctuations: The Soret-Casimir Effect

The notion of fluctuation-induced forces is generalized to the cases where the fluctuations have nonequilibrium origin. It is shown that a net force is exerted on a single flat plate that restricts scale-free fluctuations of a scalar field in a temperature gradient. This force tends to push the object to the colder regions, which is a manifestation of thermophoresis or the Soret effect. In the classic two-plate geometry, it is shown that the Casimir forces exerted on the two plates differ from each other, and thus the Newton's third law is violated.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2002

Phonon-Mediated Anomalous Dynamics of Defects

Dynamics of an array of line defects interacting with a background elastic medium is studied in the linear regime. It is shown that the inertial coupling between the defects and the ambient phonons leads to an anomalous response behavior for the deformation modes of a defect-lattice, in the form of anisotropic and anomalous mass and elastic constants, resonant dissipation through excitation of phonons, and instabilities. The case of a single fluctuating line defect is also studied, and it is shown that it could lead to formation of shock waves in the elastic medium for sufficiently high frequency deformation modes.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗