Phase Transition Dynamics of a High-Colloid-Density Active System Influenced by Hydrodynamics

Abstract

We study the kinetics of phase transition in an active matter system where active particles are immersed in an explicit solvent. Self-propulsion in our model is introduced via the wellknown Vicsek rule. The overlap between any two particles, active or solvent, is avoided via the incorporation of variants of the Lennard-Jones potential. We have simulated this model using a state-of-the-art method that combines molecular dynamics and multi-particle collision dynamics techniques. Well thermalised homogeneous configurations are quenched inside the miscibility gap with a high density of active particles. We investigate the effects of hydrodynamic interaction on the growth of clusters of active particles and compare these with independent studies for the passive case. Further, we have analyzed the behavior of growth exponents with the active strength and the presence of hydrodynamics.