{
  "abstract": "We report a study of the emergent dynamics arising in two-dimensional suspensions of semi-flexible chains whose tip is chemically active, generating a phoretic field. By varying the chain length (number of monomers per chain $N_{pc}$), the area fraction $ϕ$, and the sign of the phoretic coupling $J_0$, we map out a rich non-equilibrium phase diagram in the presence of phoretic interactions. For repulsive phoretic interactions ($J_0 > 0$) between the chains, we find that short chains ($N_{pc} = 2$) develop a transient chaotic flow state that crosses over at long times to a global polar flock with super-diffusive mean-squared displacement and long-ranged velocity correlations. Surprisingly, we find this state to have suppressed density fluctuations, indicating the emergence of hyperuniformity. At intermediate chain lengths ($N_{pc} \\sim 4$-$8$), the repulsive chemical field drives chaotic mesoscale flows -- a dry route to active turbulence -- without the need for hydrodynamic interactions or steric alignment interactions. For attractive phoretic interactions ($J_0 < 0$), chains self-organise into hedgehog-like micellar aggregates with heads forming the core and flexible tails radiating outward, in structural analogy with amphiphile micellisation but driven entirely by non-equilibrium self-propulsion. A coarse-grained theory of a tip-emitting active rod predicts the onset of the flocking of dimers, though overestimates the presence of polar order for longer chains. Our results establish phoretic tip activity as a minimal, experimentally realisable mechanism for a spectrum of collective states hitherto attributed to hydrodynamic interactions or steric alignment.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2608.22318",
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Arvin Gopal Subramaniam"
    },
    {
      "name": "Rajesh Singh"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2mtg96bq0gt9e.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2608.22318",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "2mtg96bq0gt9e",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.22318",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.soft"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3104|Micro and Nano Robotics"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204205924",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.22318",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2mtg96bq0gt9e.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:00Z",
      "native_id": "2608.22318",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.22318"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:cond-mat.soft",
      "subfield": "condensed-matter"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Collective dynamics of chemo-mechanical colloidal chains with active tips",
  "title_text": "Collective dynamics of chemo-mechanical colloidal chains with active tips",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:00Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2mtg96bq0gt9e",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}