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Outputs (9)

Collective behavior of composite active particles (2022)
Journal Article
Eglinton, J., Smith, M. I., & Swift, M. R. (2022). Collective behavior of composite active particles. Physical Review E, 105(4), Article 044609. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.105.044609

We describe simulations of active Brownian particles carried out to explore how dynamics and clustering are influenced by particle shape. Our particles are composed of four disks, held together by springs, whose relative size can be varied. These com... Read More about Collective behavior of composite active particles.

Fluid dynamics and cell-bound Psl polysaccharide allows microplastic capture, aggregation and subsequent sedimentation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in water (2022)
Journal Article
Romero, M., Carabelli, A., Swift, M., & Smith, M. (2022). Fluid dynamics and cell-bound Psl polysaccharide allows microplastic capture, aggregation and subsequent sedimentation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in water. Environmental Microbiology, 24(3), 1560-1572. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.15916

Decades after incorporating plastics into consumer markets, research shows that these polymers have spread worldwide. Fragmentation of large debris leads to smaller particles, collectively called microplastics (MPs), which have become ubiquitous in a... Read More about Fluid dynamics and cell-bound Psl polysaccharide allows microplastic capture, aggregation and subsequent sedimentation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in water.

Collision-enhanced friction of a bouncing ball on a rough vibrating surface (2021)
Journal Article
Smith, N. D., Swift, M. R., & Smith, M. I. (2021). Collision-enhanced friction of a bouncing ball on a rough vibrating surface. Scientific Reports, 11, Article 442. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-80067-w

We describe experiments and simulations to investigate the dynamics of a ball bouncing on a rough vibrating surface. Directly measuring the impulse due to each bounce we find that the frictional interaction with the surface is strongly enhanced near... Read More about Collision-enhanced friction of a bouncing ball on a rough vibrating surface.

Reduced thermodynamic description of phase separation in a quasi-one-dimensional granular gas (2019)
Journal Article
Clewett, J. P., Bowley, R., & Swift, M. R. (2019). Reduced thermodynamic description of phase separation in a quasi-one-dimensional granular gas. Physical Review Letters, 123(11), Article 118001. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.118001

We describe simulations of a quasi-one-dimensional, vibrated granular gas which exhibits an apparent phase separation into a liquidlike phase and a gaslike phase. In thermal equilibrium, such a phase separation in one dimension is prohibited by entro... Read More about Reduced thermodynamic description of phase separation in a quasi-one-dimensional granular gas.

Magnetic Levitation Stabilized by Streaming Fluid Flows (2018)
Journal Article
Fairhurst, D., Swift, M., Hill, R., Atkinson, P., Baldwin, K., Baldwin, K., …Fairhurst, D. (2018). Magnetic Levitation Stabilized by Streaming Fluid Flows. Physical Review Letters, 121(6), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.121.064502

We demonstrate that the ubiquitous laboratory magnetic stirrer provides a simple passive method of magnetic levitation, in which the so-called ‘flea’ levitates indefinitely. We study the onset of levitation and quantify the flea’s motion (a combinati... Read More about Magnetic Levitation Stabilized by Streaming Fluid Flows.

Ice as a granular material (2016)
Conference Proceeding
Turnbull, B., Swift, M., & Hill, R. (2016). Ice as a granular material.

Ice is a unique material, fundamental to vital processes on earth, in the atmosphere [1] and as planets and comets form [2]. In this work, we introduce two experiments investigating ice as a granular material, to provide snippets of insight into thos... Read More about Ice as a granular material.

The minimization of mechanical work in vibrated granular matter (2016)
Journal Article
Clewett, J. P., Wade, J., Bowley, R., Herminghaus, S., Swift, M. R., & Mazza, M. G. (in press). The minimization of mechanical work in vibrated granular matter. Scientific Reports, 6, Article 28726. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep28726

Experiments and computer simulations are carried out to investigate phase separation in a granular gas under vibration. The densities of the dilute and the dense phase are found to follow a lever rule and obey an equation of state. Here we show that... Read More about The minimization of mechanical work in vibrated granular matter.

Propulsion of a two-sphere swimmer (2015)
Journal Article
Klotsa, D., Baldwin, K. A., Hill, R. J., Bowley, R., & Swift, M. R. (2015). Propulsion of a two-sphere swimmer. Physical Review Letters, 115(24), Article 248102. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.248102

We describe experiments and simulations demonstrating the propulsion of a neutrally-buoyant swimmer that consists of a pair of spheres attached by a spring, immersed in a vibrating fluid. The vibration of the fluid induces relative motion of the sphe... Read More about Propulsion of a two-sphere swimmer.

Spontaneous orbiting of two spheres levitated in a vibrated liquid (2013)
Journal Article
Pacheco Martinez, H., Liao, L., Hill, R., Swift, M. R., & Bowley, R. (2013). Spontaneous orbiting of two spheres levitated in a vibrated liquid. Physical Review Letters, 110(15), Article 154501. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.154501

In the absence of gravity, particles can form a suspension in a liquid irrespective of the difference in density between the solid and the liquid. If such a suspension is subjected to vibration there is relative motion between the particles and the f... Read More about Spontaneous orbiting of two spheres levitated in a vibrated liquid.