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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.
Soft Matter
|August 22, 2023
Summary
Liquid-liquid interfaces enhance bimetallic Janus rod propulsion. These microswimmers achieved up to 8x higher velocities at the interface compared to solid boundaries, offering new control possibilities.
Area of Science:
- Colloid and Surface Science
- Active Matter Physics
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Confinement significantly impacts microswimmer dynamics, affecting mobility and propulsion direction.
- Research has focused on solid boundaries, leaving liquid-liquid interfaces (LLI) effects on active particle propulsion underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the adsorption and motion of bimetallic Janus rods at a liquid-liquid interface.
- Determine how LLIs influence the propulsion and velocity of these active particles.
Main Methods:
- Dispersing bimetallic Janus sideways propelled rods at the interface of an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution and oil.
- Analyzing particle adsorption, motion, and velocity distribution at the LLI.
Main Results:
- Bimetallic rods exhibited a wide distribution of velocities due to varying wetting properties at the LLI.
- A significant enhancement in motility was observed, with some particles reaching velocities up to 8 times higher than near solid walls.
- Some particles remained immotile, indicating complex interfacial interactions.
Conclusions:
- Liquid-liquid interfaces offer a novel platform for regulating the propulsion of bimetallic microswimmers.
- The enhanced motility at LLIs presents new opportunities for controlling active particle behavior in complex fluid environments.
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