Emergent rotation of passive clusters in a chiral active bath

We investigate the dynamics of passive particles immersed in a bath of chiral active particles, focusing on the emergence of collective rotational motion. Using numerical simulations, we show that passive particles aggregate into clusters that can exhibit persistent rotation within a well-defined regime of size ratio and active particle packing fraction. This rotational state is characterized by the coexistence of internal structural order, enhanced shape fluctuations, and a coherent net torque generated by the surrounding active bath. Outside this regime, the dynamics remain predominantly diffusive, highlighting that sustained rotation is not ubiquitous but arises from a delicate interplay between geometry, activity, and chirality. Furthermore, we demonstrate that chirality heterogeneity disrupts rotational coherence, while a uniform chiral bath promotes strongly superdiffusive angular dynamics. These results provide new insights into the role of chirality and collective interactions in shaping the emergent behavior of active-passive mixtures.

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Publication Details

Journal
The Journal of Chemical Physics
Published
2026-09-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0337377
Primary Topic
Micro and Nano Robotics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Emergent rotation of passive clusters in a chiral active bath

Shradha Mishra, Abhra Puitandy, Divya Kushwaha
The Journal of Chemical Physics
Micro and Nano Robotics
article

Emergent rotation of passive clusters in a chiral active bath

Shradha Mishra, Abhra Puitandy, Divya Kushwaha
article en

Abstract

We investigate the dynamics of passive particles immersed in a bath of chiral active particles, focusing on the emergence of collective rotational motion. Using numerical simulations, we show that passive particles aggregate into clusters that can exhibit persistent rotation within a well-defined regime of size ratio and active particle packing fraction. This rotational state is characterized by the coexistence of internal structural order, enhanced shape fluctuations, and a coherent net torque generated by the surrounding active bath. Outside this regime, the dynamics remain predominantly diffusive, highlighting that sustained rotation is not ubiquitous but arises from a delicate interplay between geometry, activity, and chirality. Furthermore, we demonstrate that chirality heterogeneity disrupts rotational coherence, while a uniform chiral bath promotes strongly superdiffusive angular dynamics. These results provide new insights into the role of chirality and collective interactions in shaping the emergent behavior of active-passive mixtures.

The Journal of Chemical PhysicsVol. 165(11)
Indian Institute of Technology BHU (IN), Banaras Hindu University (IN)
University Grants Commission, Science and Engineering Research Board
Openalex Percentile: Top 72%
Micro and Nano Robotics
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Emergent rotation of passive clusters in a chiral active bath — Shradha Mishra, Abhra Puitandy, et al. · The Journal of Chemical Physics (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS