Predicting the complex flows that emerge in active fluid networks remains a challenge. A combination of experiments and theory was used to determine the hydraulic laws of active fluids. Analogies with frustrated magnetism and loop models explain the emergent flow patterns that result when active fluids explore pipe networks.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Marchetti, M. C. et al. Hydrodynamics of soft active matter. Rev. Mod. Phys. 85, 1143–1189 (2013). A review article that presents the fundamentals of soft active matter.
Bricard, A. et al. Emergence of macroscopic directed motion in populations of motile colloids. Nature 503, 95–98 (2013). This paper reports the discovery of a synthetic material made of flocking active particles.
Morin, A. & Bartolo, D. Flowing active liquids in a pipe: hysteretic response of polar flocks to external fields. Phys. Rev. X. 8, 021037 (2018). This paper demonstrates that confined active flows can proceed against opposing pressure.
Woodhouse, F. G. et al. Stochastic cycle selection in active flow networks. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 113, 8200–8205 (2016). This paper conjectures and models the basic law of active fluidic networks.
Nienhuis, B. Exact critical point and critical exponents of o(n) models in two dimensions. Phys. Rev. Lett. 49, 1062–1065 (1982). An article demonstrating how to map condensed-matter models onto statistical loop models.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This is a summary of: Jorge, C. et al. Active hydraulics laws from frustration principles. Nat. Phys. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02301-2 (2024).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Interacting loop models explain the flows of active fluids in hydraulic networks. Nat. Phys. 20, 193–194 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02315-w
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02315-w
