(4of) Active Transport in Disordered Materials

I will use theory and Active Fast Stokesian Dynamics simulation to investigate active transport
in disordered environments, mainly motivated by hydrodynamic effects in material, energy, and
biomedical problems. I will leverage my research experience in applied math, statistical mechanics, active matter
physics, transport phenomena in charged porous media, and microfluidics.
Living and bio-inspired soft materials are inherently disordered and active, i.e., they operate under far from
equilibrium conditions and convert internal energy into motion and work. The interplay between disorder and
activity presents unique phenomena: For instance, embedding bacteria into cement can promote structural disorder
and enhance ductility, increasing its durability and lifetime. Microbial migration and growth is affected by fluid
flows in the tortuous pores of human tissues or underground reservoirs, consequential to disease spreading and
environmental sustainability. Cells have heterogeneous internal structures and consume ATP to perform all kinds
of tasks. Transport phenomena in these complex systems are challenging to understand. For instance, water is
essential in living and colloidal systems. However, hydrodynamic interactions are long-ranged, many-bodied, and
nonreciprocal interactions, which do not obey Newton’s 3rd law. These interactions require advanced techniques
such as the AFSD method to study it.
Specifically, I will focus on understanding (1) the role of active matter on the self-assembly process of colloidal
materials and its impact on their mechanical/electrochemical properties; (2) dynamics and transport mechanisms
of living and robotic matter inside human tissues; (3) non-equilibrium thermodynamics of intra-cellular active
solute transport and phase separations. With my theoretical background and experimental experiences, I will
collaborate across disciplines and work closely with experimentalists to pursue these ideas further. Insights gained
from the proposed research program may guide the design and manufacturing of novel materials, with potential
applications in: adaptive and sustainable colloidal materials and enhanced flow through electrodes;
water remediation or micro-cargo delivery methods and biomedical devices.