Active suspensions destabilise passive membranes

ORAL

Abstract

We present a theory for the interaction between active suspensions and a passive flexible membrane. By explicitly solving for the pressure exerted by the active particles, in the absence of phase separation, we show that they renormalise the membrane properties and introduce novel non-local contributions. The overall effect is destabilising, acting to reduce both the surface tension and bending modulus. This theory predicts the onset of instabilities their morphology in good agreement with experimental and simulation data.

*This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division under Contract No. DE-AC02-05-CH11231 within the Adaptive Interfacial Assemblies Towards Structuring Liquids program (KCTR16).

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Presenters

  • David A King

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Authors

  • David A King

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Thomas P. Russell

    • University of Massachusetts Amherst
    • University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Ahmad K Omar

    • University of California, Berkeley
    • University of California, Berkeley; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory