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Related Concept Videos

Colloids and Suspensions01:17

Colloids and Suspensions

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Children at play often make suspensions such as mixtures of mud and water, flour and water, or a suspension of solid pigments in water known as tempera paint. These suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures composed of relatively large particles visible to the naked eye or seen with a magnifying glass. They are cloudy, and the suspended particles settle out after mixing. The suspended particles in a suspension settle out after some time of mixing. The separation of particles from a suspension is...
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When an object is in equilibrium, it is either at rest or moving with a constant velocity. There are two types of equilibrium: static and dynamic. Static equilibrium occurs when an object is at rest, while dynamic equilibrium occurs when an object is moving with a constant velocity. In both cases, there must be a balance of forces acting on the object.
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Children at play often make suspensions such as mixtures of mud and water, flour and water, or a suspension of solid pigments in water known as tempera paint. These suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures composed of relatively large particles that are visible to the naked eye or can be seen with a magnifying glass. They are cloudy, and the suspended particles settle out after mixing. On the other hand, a solution is a homogeneous mixture in which no settling occurs and in which the dissolved...
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Newton's first law of motion states that a body at rest remains at rest, or if in motion, remains in motion at constant velocity, unless acted on by a net external force. It also states that there must be a cause for any change in velocity (a change in either magnitude or direction) to occur. This cause is a net external force. For example, consider what happens to an object sliding along a rough horizontal surface. The object quickly grinds to a halt, due to the net force of friction. If...
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Feedback-controlled active brownian colloids with space-dependent rotational dynamics.

Miguel Angel Fernandez-Rodriguez1, Fabio Grillo2, Laura Alvarez1

  • 1Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.

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|August 26, 2020
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers decoupled rotational diffusion from thermal fluctuations in self-propelling colloids. This control over active matter enables exploration of anomalous diffusion and directed transport, opening new avenues in physics and materials science.

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Area of Science:

  • Non-equilibrium physics
  • Soft matter physics
  • Statistical mechanics

Background:

  • Self-propelling colloids exhibit active Brownian motion, a key model in non-equilibrium physics.
  • Current control strategies focus on velocity, leaving rotational diffusion largely unaddressed.
  • Rotational diffusion is typically governed by thermal fluctuations, limiting precise control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To decouple rotational diffusion from thermal fluctuations in active colloids.
  • To achieve spatial and temporal control over the rotational diffusivity of active matter.
  • To explore novel phenomena arising from tunable rotational diffusion.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized external magnetic fields to manipulate particle behavior.
  • Implemented discrete-time feedback loops for dynamic control.
  • Decoupled rotational diffusion from inherent thermal fluctuations.

Main Results:

  • Successfully tuned the rotational diffusivity of active colloids above and below thermal levels.
  • Observed phenomena including anomalous diffusion, directed transport, and particle localization.
  • Demonstrated a new level of control over active matter dynamics.

Conclusions:

  • Decoupling rotational diffusion from thermal fluctuations offers a new dimension for controlling active matter.
  • Findings have broad implications for optimal transport, smart materials, and fundamental physics.
  • Opens possibilities for designing novel active matter systems with tailored properties.