arXiv subjects

S. Succi

Publications and source records attributed to S. Succi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Modelling drug delivery from multiple emulsions

We present a mechanistic model of drug release from a multiple emulsion into an external surrounding fluid. We consider a single multi-layer droplet where the drug kinetics are described by a pure diffusive process through different liquid shells. The multi-layer problem is described by a system of diffusion equations coupled via interlayer conditions imposing continuity of drug concentration and flux. Mass resistance is imposed at the outer boundary through the application of a surfactant at the external surface of the droplet. The two-dimensional problem is solved numerically by finite volume discretization. Concentration profiles and drug release curves are presented for three typical round-shaped (circle, ellipse and bullet) droplets and the dependency of the solution on the mass transfer coefficient at the surface analyzed. The main result shows a reduced release time for an increased elongation of the droplets.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2019

Mathematical modelling of drug delivery from pH-responsive nanocontainers

Drug delivery systems represent a promising strategy to treat cancer and to overcome the side effects of chemotherapy. In particular, polymeric nanocontainers have attracted major interest because of their structural and morphological advantages and the variety of polymers that can be used, allowing the synthesis of materials capable of responding to the biochemical alterations of the tumour microenvironment. While experimental methodologies can provide much insight, the generation of experimental data across a wide parameter space is usually prohibitively time consuming and/or expensive. To better understand the influence of varying design parameters on the drug release profile and drug kinetics involved, appropriately-designed mathematical models are of great benefit. Here, we developed a novel mathematical model to describe drug transport within, and release from, a hollow nanocontainer consisting of a core and a pH-responsive polymeric shell. The two-layer mathematical model fully accounts for drug dissolution, diffusion and interaction with polymer. We generated experimental drug release profiles using daunorubicin and [Cu(TPMA)(Phenantroline)](ClO_4)_2 as model drugs, for which the nanocontainers exhibited excellent encapsulation ability. The in vitro drug release behaviour was studied under different conditions, where the system proved capable of responding to the selected pH stimuli by releasing a larger amount of drug in an acidic than in the physiological environments. By comparing the results of the mathematical model with our experimental data, we were able to identify the model parameter values that best-fit the data and demonstrate that the model is capable of describing the phenomena at hand. The proposed methodology can be used to describe and predict the release profiles for a variety of drug delivery systems.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2019

Novel non-equilibrium steady states in multiple emulsions

We numerically investigate the rheological response of a non-coalescing multiple emulsion under a symmetric shear flow. We find that the dynamics significantly depends on the magnitude of the shear rate and on the number of the encapsulated droplets, two key parameters whose control is fundamental to accurately select the resulting non-equilibrium steady states. The double emulsion, for instance, attains a static steady state in which the external droplet stretches under flow and achieves an elliptical shape (closely resembling the one observed in a sheared isolated fluid droplet), while the internal one remains essentially unaffected. Novel non-equilibrium steady states arise in a multiple emulsion. Under a low/moderate shear rates, for instance, the encapsulated droplets display a non-trivial planetary-like motion that considerably affects the shape of the external droplet. Some features of this dynamic behavior are partially captured by the Taylor deformation parameter and the stress tensor. Besides a theoretical interest on its own, our results can potentially stimulate further experiments, as most of the predictions could be tested in the lab by monitoring droplets shapes and position over time.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2019

Relativistic dissipation obeys Chapman-Enskog asymptotics: analytical and numerical evidence as a basis for accurate kinetic simulations

We present an analytical derivation of the transport coefficients of a relativistic gas in (2+1) dimensions for both Chapman-Enskog (CE) asymptotics and Grad's expansion methods. Moreover, we develop a systematic calibration method, connecting the relaxation time of relativistic kinetic theory to the transport parameters of the associated dissipative hydrodynamic equations. Comparison between the analytical results and numerical simulations, shows that the CE method correctly captures dissipative effects, while Grad's method does not. The resulting calibration procedure based on the CE method opens the way to the quantitative kinetic description of dissipative relativistic fluid dynamics under fairly general conditions, namely flows with strongly non-linearities, in non-ideal geometries, across both ultra-relativistic and near-non-relativistic regimes.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2018

Prospects for the detection of electronic pre-turbulence in graphene

Based on extensive numerical simulations, accounting for electrostatic interactions and dissipative electron-phonon scattering, we propose experimentally realizable geometries capable of sustaining electronic pre-turbulence in graphene samples. In particular, pre-turbulence is predicted to occur at experimentally attainable values of the Reynolds number between 10 and 50, over a broad spectrum of frequencies between 10 and 100 GHz.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Numerical evidence of electron hydrodynamic whirlpools in graphene samples

We present an extension of recent relativistic Lattice Boltzmann methods based on Gaussian quadratures for the study of fluids in (2+1) dimensions. The new method is applied to the analysis of electron flow in graphene samples subject to electrostatic drive; we show that the flow displays hydro-electronic whirlpools in accordance with recent analytical calculations as well as experimental results.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2017

Kinetic approach to relativistic dissipation

Despite a long record of intense efforts, the basic mechanisms by which dissipation emerges from the microscopic dynamics of a relativistic fluid still elude a complete understanding. In particular, no unique pathway from kinetic theory to hydrodynamics has been identified as yet, with different approaches leading to different values of the transport coefficients. In this Letter, we approach the problem by matching data from lattice kinetic simulations with analytical predictions. Our numerical results provide neat evidence in favour of the Chapman-Enskog procedure, as suggested by recently theoretical analyses, along with qualitative hints at the basic reasons why the Chapman-Enskog expansion might be better suited than Grad's method to capture the emergence of dissipative effects in relativistic fluids.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2017

Towards a unified lattice kinetic scheme for relativistic hydrodynamics

We present a systematic derivation of relativistic lattice kinetic equations for finite-mass particles, reaching close to the zero-mass ultra-relativistic regime treated in the previous literature. Starting from an expansion of the Maxwell-Juettner distribution on orthogonal polynomials, we perform a Gauss-type quadrature procedure and discretize the relativistic Boltzmann equation on space-filling Cartesian lattices. The model is validated through numerical comparison with standard benchmark tests and solvers in relativistic fluid dynamics such as Boltzmann approach multiparton scattering (BAMPS) and previous relativistic lattice Boltzmann models. This work provides a significant step towards the formulation of a unified relativistic lattice kinetic scheme, covering both massive and near-massless particles regimes.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2016

Energy dissipation in flows through curved spaces

Fluid dynamics in intrinsically curved geometries is encountered in many physical systems in nature, ranging from microscopic bio-membranes all the way up to general relativity at cosmological scales. Despite the diversity of applications, all of these systems share a common feature: the free motion of particles is affected by inertial forces originating from the curvature of the embedding space. Here we reveal a fundamental process underlying fluid dynamics in curved space: the free motion of fluids, in the complete absence of solid walls or obstacles, exhibits loss of energy due exclusively to the intrinsic curvature of space. We find that local sources of curvature generate viscous stresses as a result of the inertial forces. The curvature-induced viscous forces are shown to cause hitherto unnoticed and yet appreciable energy dissipation, which might play a significant role for a variety of physical systems involving fluid dynamics in curved spaces.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2016

Extended friction elucidates the breakdown of fast water transport in graphene oxide membranes

The understanding of water transport in graphene oxide (GO) membranes stands out as a major theoretical problem in graphene research. Notwithstanding the intense efforts devoted to the subject in the recent years, a consolidated picture of water transport in GO membranes is yet to emerge. By performing mesoscale simulations of water transport in ultrathin GO membranes, we show that even small amounts of oxygen functionalities can lead to a dramatic drop of the GO permeability, in line with experimental findings. The coexistence of bulk viscous dissipation and spatially extended molecular friction results in a major decrease of both slip and bulk flow, thereby suppressing the fast water transport regime observed in pristine graphene nanochannels. Inspection of the flow structure reveals an inverted curvature in the near-wall region, which connects smoothly with a parabolic profile in the bulk region. Such inverted curvature is a distinctive signature of the coexistence between single-particle Langevin friction and collective hydrodynamics. The present mesoscopic model with spatially extended friction may offer a computationally efficient tool for future simulations of water transport in nanomaterials.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Poiseuille flow in curved spaces

We investigate Poiseuille channel flow through intrinsically curved media, equipped with localized metric perturbations. To this end, we study the flux of a fluid driven through the curved channel in dependence of the spatial deformation, characterized by the parameters of the metric perturbations (amplitude, range and density). We find that the flux depends only on a specific combination of parameters, which we identify as the average metric perturbation, and derive a universal flux law for the Poiseuille flow. For the purpose of this study, we have improved and validated our recently developed lattice Boltzmann model in curved space by considerably reducing discrete lattice effects.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

DSMC-LBM mapping scheme for rarefied and non-rarefied gas flows

We present the formulation of a kinetic mapping scheme between the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) and the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) which is at the basis of the hybrid model used to couple the two methods in view of efficiently and accurately simulate isothermal flows characterized by variable rarefaction effects. Owing to the kinetic nature of the LBM, the procedure we propose ensures to accurately couple DSMC and LBM at a larger Kn number than usually done in traditional hybrid DSMC-Navier-Stokes equation models. We show the main steps of the mapping algorithm and illustrate details of the implementation. Good agreement is found between the moments of the single particle distribution function as obtained from the mapping scheme and from independent LBM or DSMC simulations at the grid nodes where the coupling is imposed. We also show results on the application of the hybrid scheme based on a simpler mapping scheme for plane Poiseuille flow at finite Kn number. Potential gains in the computational efficiency assured by the application of the coupling scheme are estimated for the same flow.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

Cooperativity flows and Shear-Bandings: a statistical field theory approach

Cooperativity effects have been proposed to explain the non-local rheology in the dynamics of soft jammed systems. Based on the analysis of the free-energy model proposed by L. Bocquet, A. Colin \& A. Ajdari ({\em Phys. Rev. Lett.} {\bf 103}, 036001 (2009)), we show that cooperativity effects resulting from the non-local nature of the fluidity (inverse viscosity), are intimately related to the emergence of shear-banding configurations. This connection materializes through the onset of inhomogeneous compact solutions (compactons), wherein the fluidity is confined to finite-support subregions of the flow and strictly zero elsewhere. Compactons coexistence with regions of zero fluidity ("non-flowing vacuum") is shown to be stabilized by the presence of mechanical noise, which ultimately shapes up the equilibrium distribution of the fluidity field, the latter acting as an order parameter for the flow-noflow transitions occurring in the material.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2015

Short-lived lattice quasiparticles for strongly interacting fluids

It is shown that lattice kinetic theory based on short-lived quasiparticles proves very effective in simulating the complex dynamics of strongly interacting fluids (SIF). In particular, it is pointed out that the shear viscosity of lattice fluids is the sum of two contributions, one due to the usual interactions between particles (collision viscosity) and the other due to the interaction with the discrete lattice (propagation viscosity). Since the latter is {\it negative}, the sum may turn out to be orders of magnitude smaller than each of the two contributions separately, thus providing a mechanism to access SIF regimes at ordinary values of the collisional viscosity. This concept, as applied to quantum superfluids in one-dimensional optical lattices, is shown to reproduce shear viscosities consistent with the AdS-CFT holographic bound on the viscosity/entropy ratio. This shows that lattice kinetic theory continues to hold for strongly coupled hydrodynamic regimes where continuum kinetic theory may no longer be applicable.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Quantum Simulator for Transport Phenomena in Fluid Flows

Transport phenomena still stand as one of the most challenging problems in computational physics. By exploiting the analogies between Dirac and lattice Boltzmann equations, we develop a quantum simulator based on pseudospin-boson quantum systems, which is suitable for encoding fluid dynamics transport phenomena within a lattice kinetic formalism. It is shown that both the streaming and collision processes of lattice Boltzmann dynamics can be implemented with controlled quantum operations, using a heralded quantum protocol to encode non-unitary scattering processes. The proposed simulator is amenable to realization in controlled quantum platforms, such as ion-trap quantum computers or circuit quantum electrodynamics processors.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2015

Lattice Boltzmann model for resistive relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

In this paper, we develop a lattice Boltzmann model for relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). Even though the model is derived for resistive MHD, it is shown that it is numerically robust even in the high conductivity (ideal MHD) limit. In order to validate the numerical method, test simulations are carried out for both ideal and resistive limits, namely the propagation of Alfvén waves in the ideal MHD and the evolution of current sheets in the resistive regime, where very good agreement is observed comparing to the analytical results. Additionally, two-dimensional magnetic reconnection driven by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is studied and the effects of different parameters on the reconnection rate are investigated. It is shown that the density ratio has negligible effect on the magnetic reconnection rate, while an increase in shear velocity decreases the reconnection rate. Additionally, it is found that the reconnection rate is proportional to $σ^{-\frac{1}{2}}$, $σ$ being the conductivity, which is in agreement with the scaling law of the Sweet-Parker model. Finally, the numerical model is used to study the magnetic reconnection in a stellar flare. Three-dimensional simulation suggests that the reconnection between the background and flux rope magnetic lines in a stellar flare can take place as a result of a shear velocity in the photosphere.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2015

Flow through randomly curved manifolds

We have found that the relation between the flow through campylotic (generically curved) media, consisting of randomly located curvature perturbations, and the average Ricci scalar of the system exhibits two distinct functional expressions (hysteresis), depending on whether the typical spatial extent of the curvature perturbation lies above or below the critical value maximizing the overall Ricci curvature. Furthermore, the flow through such systems as a function of the number of curvature perturbations presents a sublinear behavior for large concentrations due to the interference between curvature perturbations that, consequently, produces a less curved space. For the purpose of this study, we have developed and validated a lattice kinetic model capable of describing fluid flow in arbitrarily curved manifolds, which allows to deal with highly complex spaces in a very compact and efficient way.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

Cooling Effect of the Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability

We provide numerical evidence that the Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instability contributes to the cooling of a relativistic fluid. Due to the presence of jet particles traveling throughout the medium, shock waves are generated in the form of Mach cones. The interaction of multiple shock waves can trigger the RM instability, and we have found that this process leads to a down-cooling of the relativistic fluid. To confirm the cooling effect of the instability, shock tube Richtmyer-Meshkov instability simulations are performed. Additionally, in order to provide an experimental observable of the RM instability resulting from the Mach cone interaction, we measure the two particle correlation function and highlight the effects of the interaction. The simulations have been performed with an improved version of the relativistic lattice Boltzmann model, including general equations of state and external forces.

physics.flu-dyn↗