Surface-active microrobots can propel through blood faster than inert microrobots

Microrobots that can move through a network of blood vessels have promising medical applications. Blood contains a high volume fraction of blood cells, so in order for a microrobot to move through the blood, it must propel itself by rearranging the surrounding blood cells. However, swimming form effective for propulsion in blood is unknown. This study shows numerically that a surface-active microrobot, such as a squirmer, is more efficient in moving through blood than an inert microrobot. This is because the surface velocity of the microrobot steers the blood cells laterally, allowing them to propel themselves into the hole they are digging. When the microrobot size is comparable to a red blood cell or when the microrobot operates under a low Capillary number, the puller microrobot swims faster than the pusher microrobot. The trend reverses under considerably smaller microrobot sizes or high Capillary number scenarios. Additionally, the swimming speed is strongly dependent on the hematocrit and magnetic torque used to control the microrobot orientation. A comparative analysis between the squirmer and Janus squirmer models underscores the extensive applicability of the squirmer model. The obtained results provide new insight into the design of microrobots propelled efficiently through blood, paving the way for innovative medical applications.