Micellisation and aggregation of self-propelled hard circulangles.

Abstract

Self-organization in active materials, inspired by biological systems, shows many features, not found in passive materials. In order to explore the influence of shape asymmetry, a new 2D shape, named a circulangle, is introduced. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of two-dimensional hard Brownian circulangles are presented. Self-propulsion is introduced by additional MC moves along particles' axes. The system undergoes transition from homogeneously distributed particles to micellar structures arranged in clusters/networks. Circulangles appear to be the first known self-propelled particles, which form micelles without attractive forces. The newly discovered phenomenon may have wide implications in design of (meta)materials for energy conversion and storage, sensorics, micromechanics, targeted drug delivery, swarm intelligence, etc.

Abstract

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