Reversible Phase Transitions of Anionic and Cationic Surfactant Mixtures Drive Shape Morphing Droplets.

ABSTRACT: Converting chemical signals into mechanical responses is fundamental to biological systems, driving processes such as cellular motility and tissue morphogenesis. Yet, harnessing chemo-mechanical signal conversions in synthetic systems remains a key challenge in energy-dissipative materials design. While droplets can move and interact with their environment reminiscent of active biological matter, chemo-mechanical interactions are limited by the translation of chemical changes into extensive force variations required on small timescales. Droplets naturally adopt spherical shapes to minimize surface-energy and restructuring liquids into non-equilibrium geometries requires mechanisms beyond current stimuli-responsive surfactant systems, which lack the force-amplifying mechanisms needed for tr

SUBMITTER: Frank BD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12447037 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature