Probing active nematics with in-situ microfabricated elastic inclusions

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Vélez-Cerón, Ignasi, Guillamat, Pau, Sagués, Francesc, Ignés-Mullol, Jordi
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2023
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author Vélez-Cerón, Ignasi
Guillamat, Pau
Sagués, Francesc
Ignés-Mullol, Jordi
author_facet Vélez-Cerón, Ignasi
Guillamat, Pau
Sagués, Francesc
Ignés-Mullol, Jordi
contents In this work, we report a direct measurement of the forces exerted by a tubulin/kinesin active nematic gel as well as its complete rheological characterization, including the quantification of its shear viscosity, η, and its activity parameter, α. For this, we develop a novel method that allows us to rapidly photo-polymerize compliant elastic inclusions in the continuously remodelling active system. Moreover, we quantitatively settle long-standing theoretical predictions, such as a postulated relationship encoding the intrinsic time scale of the active nematic in terms of η and α. In parallel, we infer a value for the nematic elasticity constant, K, by combining our measurements with the theorized scaling of the active length scale. On top of the microrheology capatilities, we demonstrate novel strategies for defect encapsulation, quantification of defect mechanics, and defect interactions, enabled by the versatility of the new microfabrication strategy that allows to combine elastic motifs of different shape and stiffness that are fabricated in-situ and on-time.
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institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
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spellingShingle Probing active nematics with in-situ microfabricated elastic inclusions
Vélez-Cerón, Ignasi
Guillamat, Pau
Sagués, Francesc
Ignés-Mullol, Jordi
Soft Condensed Matter
In this work, we report a direct measurement of the forces exerted by a tubulin/kinesin active nematic gel as well as its complete rheological characterization, including the quantification of its shear viscosity, η, and its activity parameter, α. For this, we develop a novel method that allows us to rapidly photo-polymerize compliant elastic inclusions in the continuously remodelling active system. Moreover, we quantitatively settle long-standing theoretical predictions, such as a postulated relationship encoding the intrinsic time scale of the active nematic in terms of η and α. In parallel, we infer a value for the nematic elasticity constant, K, by combining our measurements with the theorized scaling of the active length scale. On top of the microrheology capatilities, we demonstrate novel strategies for defect encapsulation, quantification of defect mechanics, and defect interactions, enabled by the versatility of the new microfabrication strategy that allows to combine elastic motifs of different shape and stiffness that are fabricated in-situ and on-time.
title Probing active nematics with in-situ microfabricated elastic inclusions
topic Soft Condensed Matter
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.11587