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Multiscale control of active emulsion dynamics

Livio Nicola Carenza1,*, Luca Biferale2, and Giuseppe Gonnella1

  • 1Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Bari and INFN, Sezione di Bari, Bari, I-70126, Italy
  • 2Dipartimento di Fisica and INFN, Università di Roma “Tor Vergata,” 00133 Roma, Italy

  • *Corresponding author: livio.carenza@ba.infn.it
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Phys. Rev. Fluids 5, 011302(R) – Published 16 January, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.5.011302

Abstract

We numerically study the energy transfer in a multicomponent two-dimensional film made of an active polar gel and a passive isotropic fluid in presence of surfactant favoring emulsification. We show that by confining the active behavior into the localized component, the typical scale where chemical energy is transformed in mechanical energy can be substantially controlled. Quantitative analysis of kinetic energy spectra and fluxes shows the presence of a multiscale dynamics due to the existence of a flux induced by the active stress only, without the presence of a turbulent cascade. An increase in the intensity of active doping induces drag reduction due to the competition of elastic and dissipative stresses against active forces. Furthermore we show that a nonhomogeneous activity pattern induces localized response, including a modulation of the slip length, opening the way toward the control of active flows by external variation of the actvity level.

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Phys. Rev. Fluids 5, 011302(R)– Published 16 January, 2020
  • Received 10 June 2019
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