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Relating Rheotaxis and Hydrodynamic Actuation using Asymmetric Gold-Platinum Phoretic Rods
Quentin Brosseau1, Florencio Balboa Usabiaga2, Enkeleida Lushi3
1Courant Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10012, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|November 9, 2019
Summary
Janus rods
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Micron-scale autophoretic Janus rods are active particles with applications in microfluidics and targeted delivery.
- Their movement near surfaces and in flow fields is crucial for understanding their functionality.
- Rheotaxis, or upstream movement in flow, is a key behavior for active particles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the gold/platinum (Au/Pt) ratio affects the rheotactic behavior of Janus rods near a wall.
- To understand the relationship between swimmer type (pusher/puller) and rheotaxis.
- To demonstrate how Janus rods can be tuned for flow responsiveness.
Main Methods:
- Experimental observation of micron-scale autophoretic Janus (Au/Pt) rods near a wall in a background flow.
- Numerical simulations of swimming rods with surface slip and drag.
- Modeling of swimmer-flow interactions.
Main Results:
- The ability of Janus rods to rheotax is strongly dependent on the tunable Au/Pt length ratio.
- Simulations reveal similar rheotactic tunability by adjusting slip and drag locations.
- Puller-type swimmers exhibit more robust rheotaxis due to a larger tilt angle, enhancing responsiveness to flow gradients.
Conclusions:
- The Au/Pt ratio is a critical factor for controlling the rheotactic behavior of Janus rods.
- Rheotactic response can be used to infer flow fields around active particles.
- Janus rods offer tunable flow responsiveness, with pullers being particularly effective rheotaxers.
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