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We study the collective dynamics of self-propelled rods in an inhomogeneousmotility field. At the interface between two regions of constant but differentmotility, a smectic rod layer is spontaneously created through aligninginteractions between the active rods, reminiscent of an artificial,semi-permeable membrane. This "active membrane" engulfes rods which are locallytrapped in low-motility regions and thereby further enhances the trappingefficiency by self-organization, an effect which we call "self-encapsulation".Our results are gained by computer simulations of self-propelled rod modelsconfined on a two-dimensional planar or spherical surface with a stepwiseconstant motility field, but the phenomenon should be observable in anygeometry with sufficiently large spatial inhomogeneity. We also discusspossibilities to verify our predictions of active-membrane formation inexperiments of self-propelled colloidal rods and vibrated granular matter.

Spontaneous membrane formation and self-encapsulation of active rods in an inhomogeneous motility field