Research
The topics I study, from theoretical models to lab experiments.
- 2024-2025
Frictional cooling in active matter
We have identified a spontaneous cooling phenomenon in active matter, termed self-sustained frictional cooling, arising from the interplay between activity and dry friction, without the need for an external thermal bath. Through experiments and simulations on active granular robots, we demonstrate how this mechanism can lead to the formation of dense, arrested clusters, opening new perspectives for controlling the dynamical and structural properties of robotic swarms.
- 2025-2026
Thermodynamics of chiral particles
We developed a thermodynamic framework for chiral active matter, establishing an equation of state that connects the microscopic properties of rotating active particles to macroscopic quantities such as pressure and temperature. Our findings provide new insights into the collective behaviour of chiral active systems, paving the way for the design and control of autonomous active machines and microfluidic devices.
- 2024 - oggi
Self-aligning active particles
In active matter systems, the self-alignment mechanism, which aligns the particle orientation with its instantaneous velocity, can profoundly affect collective behaviour. At high densities, sufficiently strong self-alignment suppresses MIPS and induces a transition from a disordered state to a homogeneous flocking state, even in crystalline configurations. In the latter case, the transition can be analytically described within a Landau–Ginzburg theory. The introduction of chirality further enriches the phase diagram, favouring the formation of rotating crystals (circling crystals) and, at higher chirality, vortex-like structures.
- 2024-2026
Magnetic active matter
Magnetic active matter investigates out-of-equilibrium systems in which magnetic interactions combine with particle self-propulsion, giving rise to novel collective phenomena and forms of self-organisation. These interactions can profoundly influence system dynamics, modifying clustering processes, structure formation, and transport properties. Studying these systems through experiments and simulations provides insights into how magnetic interactions shape the collective behaviour of active matter across different length scales.