Nonequilibrium scaling of drag forces in counterdriven fluid mixtures

We address the effective nonequilibrium drag force field that emerges from the microscopic interparticle interactions in steady states of counterdriven binary fluid mixtures. Using power functional scaling arguments for adaptive Brownian dynamics computer simulation results, we establish quantitatively the crossover between near-equilibrium linear response and far-nonequilibrium square root asymptotics. An algebraic expression captures both limiting cases and remains applicable in the crossover regime. Using simulation results as benchmarks, we verify that a local power functional approximation based on the scaling law reproduces the spatial nonequilibrium structure formation in inhomogenously driven systems. The crossover scenario transcends dynamical density functional theory and it sheds light on general nonequilibrium scaling of driven fluids.