Kinetic theory for dissipative particle dynamics: the importance of collisions

Kinetic theory of dissipative particle dynamics is developed in terms of a Boltzmann pair collision theory. The kinetic transport coefficients are computed from explicit collision integrals and compared favourably with detailed simulations. Previous theory is found to correspond to a weak scattering limit, or Vlasov theory, and previously reported discrepancies with simulations are thereby resolved. In the large dissipation limit, we find qualitatively new scaling properties for the transport coefficients.