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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Glass-Based Devices to Generate Drops and Emulsions
Published on: April 5, 2022
Self-propelled motion of a droplet induced by Marangoni-driven spreading
Yong-Jun Chen1, Yuko Nagamine, Kenichi Yoshikawa
1Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
Abstract:
We report the generation of directed self-propelled motion of a droplet of aniline oil with a velocity on the order of centimeters per second on an aqueous phase. It is found that, depending on the initial conditions, the droplet shows either circular or beeline motion in a circular Petri dish. The motion of a droplet depends on volume of the droplet and concentration of solution. The velocity decreases when volume of the droplet and concentration of solution increase. Such unique motion is discussed in terms of Marangoni-driven spreading under chemical nonequilibrium. The simulation reproduces the mode of motion in a circular Petri dish.
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