Dynamics of soft matter systems

  

Even though almost a hundred years have passed since the pioneeering works of Einstein and Smoluchowski, the theory of suspensions of interacting Brownian particles is still a challenge. The analysis of Brownian suspensions is hindered by complicated nature of interparticle interactions which include direct forces such as Coulomb or van der Waals as well as indirect interactions mediated by the solvent. These so-called hydrodynamic interactions are truly complex: they are long ranged, nonlinear in nature, and cannot be expressed as a sum of two-body terms. Their presence makes the problem both interesting and difficult.
 

movies:

butterfly.mpg
Hydrodynamic interactions in action: a periodic trajectory of three sedimenting spheres chasing each other with a delay of one third of a period (center of mass frame)

 

 

scarab.mpg
The same in the rest frame of the particle 1
 

In collaboration with

 

Relevant publications

  
  • A. Hernik-Magoń, W. Pulawski, B. Fedorczyk, D. Tymecka, A. Misicka, P. Szymczak, W. Dzwolak, Beware of cocktails: Chain-length bidispersity triggers explosive self-assembly of poly-L-glutamic acid ß2-fibrils, Biomacromolecules, 17, 1376-82 2016 [pdf]
  • M. Gruziel, P. Szymczak, From ribbons to tubules: a computational study of the polymorphism in aggregation of helical filaments, Soft Matter, 11, 6294 - 6304, 2015 [pdf] [supplementary] [movie1] [movie2]
  • K. A. Mizerski, E. Wajnryb, P. J. Zuk, P. Szymczak, The Rotne-Prager-Yamakawa approximation for periodic systems in a shear flow, J. Chem. Phys., 140, 184103, 2014 [pdf]
  • P. J. Zuk, E. Wajnryb, K. A. Mizerski, P. Szymczak, Rotne-Prager-Yamakawa approximation for different-sized particles in application to macromolecular bead models, J. Fluid Mech. 741, R5, 2014 [pdf]
  • M. Gruziel, W. Dzwolak, P. Szymczak, Chirality inversions in self-assembly of fibrillar superstructures: A computational study, Soft Matter, 9, 8005-8013, 2013 [pdf] [supplementary]
  • J. Piasecki, P. Szymczak, J. Kozak, Communication: Nonexistence of a critical point within the Kirkwood superposition approximation, J. Chem. Phys., 731, 141101, 2013 [pdf]
  • E. Wajnryb, K. A. Mizerski, P. J. Zuk, P. Szymczak, Generalization of the Rotne-Prager-Yamakawa mobility and shear disturbance tensors, J. Fluid. Mech., 731, R3, 2013 [pdf]
  • M. Gruziel, W. Dzwolak, P. Szymczak, Chirality inversions in self-assembly of fibrillar superstructures: A computational study, Soft Matter, 9, 8005-8013, 2013 [pdf] [supplementary]
  • D. Thompson, M. Sikora, P. Szymczak, M. Cieplak, A multi-scale molecular dynamics study of the assembly of micron-size supraparticles from 30 nm alkyl-coated nanoparticles, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 15, 8132-8143, 2013 [pdf]
  • J. Piasecki, P. Szymczak, J. Kozak, Stability of phases of a square-well fluid within superposition approximation, J. Chem. Phys., 138, 164506, 2013 [pdf]
  • M. Sikora, D. Adam, P. M. Korczyk, A. Prodi-Schwab, P. Szymczak, M. Cieplak, Geometrical and electrical properties of indium tin oxide clusters in ink dispersions, Langmuir, 28, 1523, 2012 [pdf]
  • M. Sikora, P. Szymczak, D. Thompson, M. Cieplak, Linker-mediated assembly of gold nanoparticles into multimeric motifs, Nanotechnology, 22, 445601, 2011 [pdf]
  • J. Piasecki, P. Szymczak, J. Kozak, Structural transitions in hypersphere fluids: predictions of Kirkwood's approximation, J. Chem. Phys., 135, 084509, 2011 [pdf]
  • J. Piasecki, P. Szymczak, J. Kozak, Prediction of a structural transition in the hard disk fluid, J. Chem. Phys., 133, 164507, 2010 [pdf]
  • M. L. Ekiel-Jeżewska, T. Gubiec, P. Szymczak, Stokesian dynamics of close particles, Phys. Fluids, 20, 063102, 2008 [pdf]
  • P. Szymczak, B. Cichocki, Diagrammatic approach to response problems in composite systems, J. Stat. Mech., P01025, 2008 [pdf]
  • N. Lecoq, R. Anthore, B. Cichocki, P. Szymczak, & F. Feuillebois, Drag force on a sphere moving towards a corrugated wall, J. Fluid Mech., 513 , 247, 2004 [pdf]
  • P. Szymczak, B. Cichocki, Memory effects in collective dynamics of Brownian suspensions, J. Chem. Phys., 121, 3329, 2004 [pdf]
  • E. Wajnryb, P. Szymczak, B. Cichocki, Brownian dynamics: divergence of mobility tensor, Physica A, 335, 339, 2004 [pdf]
  • P. Szymczak, B. Cichocki, Memory function for collective diffusion of interacting Brownian particles, Europhys. Lett., 59, 465, 2002 [pdf]
  • B. Cichocki, M. L. Ekiel-Jezewska, P. Szymczak, E. Wajnryb, Three-particle contribution to sedimentation and collective diffusion in hard-sphere suspensions, J. Chem. Phys., 117, 1231, 2002 [pdf]