Rational design and dynamics of self-propelled colloidal bead chains: from rotators to flagella.

ABSTRACT: The quest for designing new self-propelled colloids is fuelled by the demand for simple experimental models to study the collective behaviour of their more complex natural counterparts. Most synthetic self-propelled particles move by converting the input energy into translational motion. In this work we address the question if simple self-propelled spheres can assemble into more complex structures that exhibit rotational motion, possibly coupled with translational motion as in flagella. We exploit a combination of induced dipolar interactions and a bonding step to create permanent linear bead chains, composed of self-propelled Janus spheres, with a well-controlled internal structure. Next, we study how flexibility between individual swimmers in a chain can affect its swimming behaviour. Pe

SUBMITTER: Vutukuri HR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5711812 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature