Attraction-induced cluster fragmentation and local alignment in active particle systems
Phys. Rev. E 114, 035414 – Published 14 September, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/gqf6-nbl4
Abstract
We numerically studied active Brownian particles with attractive interactions. Contrary to our intuition, the attractive force between particles disrupts the formation of a single cluster observed in motility-induced phase separation, giving rise to a multicluster state. This transition is driven by a decrease in effective motility caused by the persistent cohesion between particles. We also found that the self-propulsion directions spontaneously align within each cluster in the multicluster state, despite the absence of explicit alignment interactions. This study revealed the intricate role of attractive interactions in the aggregation of motile systems.
