Collective transport of polar active particles on the surface of a corrugated tube

Abstract

We study collective transport of polar active particles on the surface of a corrugated tube. Particles can be rectified on the surface of the asymmetric tube. The system shows different motion patterns which are determined by the competition between alignment strength and rotational diffusion. For a given alignment strength, there exist transitions from the circulating band state to the travelling state, and finally to the disordered state when continuously changing rotational diffusion. The circulating band is a purely curvature-driven effect with no equivalent in the planar model. The rectification is greatly improved in the travelling state and greatly suppressed in the circulating band state. There exist optimal parameters (modulation amplitude, alignment strength, rotational diffusion, and self-propulsion speed) at which the rectified efficiency takes its maximal value. Remarkably, in the travelling state, we can observe current reversals by changing translational diffusion.

Keywords

• polar active particles
• collective transport
• surface of a corrugated tube