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Updated: Jul 18, 2025

Preparation and Friction Force Microscopy Measurements of Immiscible, Opposing Polymer Brushes
Published on: December 24, 2014
Sideways propelled bimetallic rods at the water/oil interface
Alina Arslanova1, Ine Matthé1, Olivier Deschaume2
1Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. christian.clasen@kuleuven.be.
Abstract:
The motion of self-propelling microswimmers is significantly affected by confinement, which can enhance or reduce their mobility and also steer the direction of their propulsion. While their interactions with solid boundaries have already received considerable attention, many aspects of the influence of liquid-liquid interfaces (LLI) on active particle propulsion still remain unexplored. In this work, we studied the adsorption and motion of bimetallic Janus sideways propelled rods dispersed at the interface between an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide and oil. The wetting properties of the bimetallic rods result in a wide distribution of their velocities at the LLI. While a fraction of rods remain immotile, we note a significant enhancement of motility for the rest of the particles with velocities of up to 8 times higher in comparison to those observed near a solid wall. Liquid-liquid interfaces, therefore, can provide a new way to regulate the propulsion of bimetallic particles.
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