Binary pusher–puller mixtures of active microswimmers and their collective behaviour

ABSTRACT

Microswimmers are active particles of microscopic size that self-propel by setting the surrounding fluid into motion. According to the kind of far-field fluid flow that they induce, they are classified into pushers and pullers. Many studies have explored similarities and differences between suspensions of either pushers or pullers, but the behaviour of mixtures of the two is still to be investigated. Here, we rely on a minimal discrete microswimmer model, particle-resolved, including hydrodynamic interactions, to examine the orientational ordering in such binary pusher–puller mixtures. In agreement with existing literature, we find that our monodisperse suspensions of pushers do not show alignment, whereas those of solely pullers spontaneously develop ordered collective motion. By continuously varying the composition of the binary mixtures, starting from pure puller systems, we find that ordered collective motion is largely maintained up to pusher–puller composition ratios of about 1:2. Surprisingly, pushers when surrounded by a majority of pullers are more tightly aligned than indicated by the average overall orientational order in the system. Our study outlines how orientational order can be tuned in active microswimmer suspensions to a requested degree by doping with other species.     

Rheology of physically evolving suspensions

The objective of this work was to investigate the modeling of the whole dynamic rheological behavior of physically evolving suspensions (e.g., polyvinyl chloride plastisols). The evolutions of the complex viscosity with time (isothermal) and with temperature (non-isothermal) were analyzed. To understand the physically involved phenomena, the determination of relationships between the solid volume fraction evolution and the rheological behavior was investigated. Firstly, the evolution of the volume fraction in relation with the variation of radii particle suspensions using a modified Avrami equation was determined. Actually, the rheological study of this physically evolving system is far too complicated due to the many factors involved in the evolving process. Consequently, a phenomenological law using Carreau–Yasuda equation and percolation laws combined with the evolution of the solid volume fraction is investigated to obtain the modeling of the whole dynamic rheological behavior at any frequency and temperature.     

DC conductivity of a suspension of insulating particles with internal rotation

We analyse the consequences of Quincke rotation on the conductivity of a suspension. Quincke rotation refers to the spontaneous rotation of insulating particles dispersed in a slightly conducting liquid and subject to a high DC electric field: above a critical field, each particle rotates continuously around itself with an axis pointing in any direction perpendicular to the DC field. When the suspension is subject to an electric field lower than the threshold one, the presence of insulating particles in the host liquid decreases the bulk conductivity since the particles form obstacles to ion migration. But for electric fields higher than the critical one, the particles rotate and facilitate ion migration: the effective conductivity of the suspension is increased. We provide a theoretical analysis of the impact of Quincke rotation on the apparent conductivity of a suspension and we present experimental results obtained with a suspension of PMMA particles dispersed in weakly conducting liquids.     

Dynamic interactions of an integrated vehicle–electromagnetic energy harvester–tire system subject to uneven road excitations

An investigation is undertaken of an integrated mechanical-electromagnetic coupling system consisting of a rigid vehicle with heave, roll, and pitch motions, four electro-magnetic energy harvesters and four tires subject to uneven road excitations in order to improve the passengers' riding comfort and harvest the lost engine energy due to uneven roads. Following the derived mathematical formulations and the proposed solution approaches, the numerical simulations of this interaction system subject to a continuous sinusoidal road excitation and a single ramp impact are completed. The simulation results are presented as the dynamic response curves in the forms of the frequency spectrum and the time history, which reveals the complex interaction characteristics of the system for vibration reductions and energy harvesting performance. It has addressed the coupling effects on the dynamic characteristics of the integrated system caused by:(1) the natural modes and frequencies of the vehicle;(2) the vehicle rolling and pitching motions;(3) different road exci-tations on four wheels;(4) the time delay of a road ramp to impact both the front and rear wheels, etc., which cannot be tackled by an often used quarter vehicle model. The guide-lines for engineering applications are given. The developed coupling model and the revealed concept provide a means with analysis idea to investigate the details of four energy harvester motions for electromagnetic suspension designs in order to replace the current passive vehicle isolators and to harvest the lost engine energy. Potential further research directions are suggested for readers to consider in the future.     

基于共聚焦显微拉曼光谱的毛竹细胞结构和成分研究

采用共聚焦显微拉曼光谱对毛竹薄壁细胞、薄壁纤维过渡细胞和纤维细胞进行研究。通过构建偏最小二乘(PLS)定量区分模型来对这三种细胞中的差异进行分析,结果表明,该区分模型的建模和交互验证决定系数(R2)分别为0.810和0.800,均方根误差(RMSE)分别为0.323和0.332。根据这一模型的回归系数,发现三种细胞的区别主要体现在1 095,1 319和1 636 cm-1三个波数,这三个波数分别为纤维素、半纤维素和木质素的指纹特征峰。以这三个波数为自变量建立多元线性回归(MLR)模型,该回归模型的建模和交互验证决定系数(R2)分别为0.644和0.643,均方根误差(RMSE)分别为0.442和0.443,表明三种细胞在这三个波数处存在明显的差异。对小波变换基线消除后的拉曼光谱信号进行化学成像分析,结果显示,纤维素微纤维与纤维轴成一个很大的角度,这一结构有利于提高细胞的弹性模量和硬度。半纤维素和纤维素微纤维通过氢键相连,并在范德华力的作用下紧密地结合在一起,因此在拉曼化学成像中可以看到半纤维素和纤维素有相似的分布规律。三种细胞的细胞角和胞间层都高度的木质化,从细胞壁外层到内层木质化程度逐渐降低,表明细胞壁的木质化从细胞角和胞间层开始,且木质化程度并不完全。     

Shock and detonation wave diffraction at a sudden expansion in gas–particle mixtures

Numerical modeling of the propagation of shock and detonation waves is carried out in a duct with an abrupt expansion for a heterogeneous mixture of fine particles of aluminum and oxygen. A considerable difference from corresponding flows in pure gas is found. The influence of the size and mass loading of particles on the flow and shock wave structure behind the backward-facing step is determined. As in gaseous detonations, three types of scenarios of detonation development are obtained. Specific features of the flow structure are revealed such as deformation of the combustion front due to interaction between the relaxation zone and the vortex structure. The influence of particle size and channel width on detonation propagation is analyzed. This paper is based on work that was presented at the 21th International Colloquium on the Dynamics of Explosions and Reactive Systems, Poitiers, France, July 23–27, 2007.     

The hydrolysis and recrystallisation of lyocell and comparative cellulosic fibres in solutions of mineral acid

Regenerated cellulosic fibres undergo a process described as scission-reordering during hydrolysis in solutions of mineral acid. This occurs within disordered polymer regions at lateral crystal interfaces, which are accessible to aqueous agents through the pore spaces and polymer free volume. This process is distinct from that of oligomer-solubilsation, which occurs within disordered polymer regions in series between crystal domains, where no effective template exists for recrystallisation. The degradation of series disorder will have the greatest influence on fibre tensile properties, which fall dramatically even at low levels of hydrolysis. The mechanics of fibrillation are most sensitive to the degradation of lateral disorder, which occurs at a higher rate constant. Soft-touch fabric processing may therefore be possible under conditions where there is a reduced influence on tensile performance. A kinetic model has been proposed to describe the hydrolysis and recrystallisation pathways, which shows that lyocell has longer but thinner crystal domains than viscose or modal fibres, and also a tighter distribution of lateral crystal sizes. Lyocell also has a lower proportion of series disorder and also thinner regions of lateral disorder. This is consistent with the overall greater crystallinity of the original lyocell fibre and the also of the final microscrystalline product.     

From Colloidal Dispersions of Zeolite Monolayers to Effective Solid Catalysts in Transformations of Bulky Organic Molecules: Role of Freeze-Drying and Dialysis

We investigated the properties and catalytic activity of zeolites with MWW topology obtained by unprecedented liquid exfoliation of the MCM-56 zeolite into solutions of monolayers and isolation/reassembly of the dispersed layers by various methods, with optional purification by dialysis or ammonium exchange. The layers were recovered by flocculation with alcohol or ammonium nitrate and freeze-drying. Flocculation alone, even with ammonium nitrate, did not ensure removal of residual sodium cations resulting in catalysts with low activity. Dialysis of the solutions with dispersed monolayers proved to be efficient in removing sodium cations and preserving microporosity. The monolayers were also isolated as solids by freeze-drying. The highest BET area and pore volume obtained with the freeze-dried sample confirmed lyophilization efficiency in preserving layer structure. The applied test reaction, Friedel–Crafts alkylation of mesitylene, showed high benzyl alcohol conversion due to increased concentration of accessible acid centers caused by the presence of secondary mesoporosity. The applied treatments did not change the acid strength of the external acid sites, which are the most important ones for converting bulky organic molecules. Zeolite acidity was not degraded in the course of exfoliation into monolayers, showing the potential of such colloid dispersions for the formation of active catalysts.     

D-shape polymer optical fibres for surface plasmon resonance sensing

We experimentally studied three different D-shape polymer optical fibres with an exposed core for their applications as surface plasmon resonance sensors. The first one was a conventional D-shape fibre with no microstructure while in two others the fibre core was surrounded by two rings of air holes. In one of the microstructured fibres we introduced special absorbing inclusions placed outside the microstructure to attenuate leaky modes. We compared the performance of the surface plasmon resonance sensors based on the three fibres. We showed that the fibre bending enhances the resonance in all investigated fibres. The measured sensitivity of about 610 nm/RIU for the refractive index of glycerol solution around 1.350 is similar in all fabricated sensors. However, the spectral width of the resonance curve is significantly lower for the fibre with inclusions suppressing the leaky modes.     

纤维胃镜检查的统计分析

本文根据我校医院纤维胃镜检查资料,用x~2检验及主成份分析方法,讨论了胃病与职业、年龄和性别之间的关系.