Self-sustained frictional cooling in active matter.

ABSTRACT: Cooling processes in nature are typically generated by external contact with a cold reservoir or bath. According to the laws of thermodynamics, the final temperature of a system is determined by the temperature of the environment. Here, we report a spontaneous internal cooling phenomenon for active particles, occurring without external contact. This effect, termed self-sustained frictional cooling, arises from the interplay between activity and dry (Coulomb) friction, and in addition is self-sustained from particles densely caged by their neighbors. If an active particle moves in its cage, dry friction will stop any further motion after a collision with a neighbor particle thus cooling the particle down to an extremely low temperature. We demonstrate and verify this self-sustained cooling

SUBMITTER: Antonov AP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12328619 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature