Generalized thermodynamics of motility-induced phase separation: phase equilibria, Laplace pressure, and change of ensembles

By Alexandre Solon, Joakim Stenhammar, M. E. Cates, Yariv Kafri, J. Tailleur. New Journal of Physics, 2018

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Motility-induced phase separation leads to cohesive active matter in the absence of cohesive forces. We present, extend and illustrate a recent generalized thermodynamic formalism which accounts for its binodal curve. Using this formalism, we identify both a generalized surface tension, that controls finite-size corrections to coexisting densities, and generalized forces, that can be used to construct new thermodynamic ensembles. Our framework is based on a non-equilibrium generalization of the Cahn–Hilliard equation and we discuss its application to active particles interacting either via quorum-sensing interactions or directly through pairwise forces.

Subfields: Condensed Matter Physics, Materials Chemistry, Statistical and Nonlinear Physics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/5840d9523f67b24ffadc9d8ec0711b73a57a3e76