Rheology of Active Filament Solutions

Abstract

We study the viscoelasticity of an active solution of polar biofilaments and motor proteins. Using a molecular model, we derive the constitutive equations for the stress tensor in the isotropic phase and in phases with liquid crystalline order. The stress relaxation in the various phases is discussed. Contractile activity is responsible for a spectacular difference in the viscoelastic properties on opposite sides of the order-disorder transition.

4 pages, 1 figure

References in corpus (2)

• Pattern formation of microtubules and motors: inelastic interaction of polar rods
• Generic phase diagram of active polar films

Cited by in corpus (7)

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• Spontaneous flow states in active nematics: a unified picture
• Complex Spontaneous Flows and Concentration Banding in Active Polar Films
• Instabilities and waves in thin films of living fluids