Phase Behavior of Active Swimmers in Depletants: Molecular Dynamics and Integral Equation Theory

Abstract

We study the structure and phase behavior of a binary mixture where one of the components is self-propelling in nature. The interparticle interactions in the system are taken from the Asakura-Oosawa model for colloid-polymer mixtures for which the phase diagram is known. In the current model version, the colloid particles are made active using the Vicsek model for self-propelling particles. The resultant active system is studied by molecular dynamics methods and integral equation theory. Both methods produce results consistent with each other and demonstrate that the Vicsek model-based activity facilitates phase separation, thus, broadening the coexistence region.