Emergent hydrodynamic bound states between magnetically powered micropropellers.

ABSTRACT: Hydrodynamic interactions (HIs), namely, solvent-mediated long-range interactions between dispersed particles, play a crucial role in the assembly and dynamics of many active systems, from swimming bacteria to swarms of propelling microrobots. We experimentally demonstrate the emergence of long-living hydrodynamic bound states between model microswimmers at low Reynolds numbers. A rotating magnetic field forces colloidal hematite microparticles to translate at a constant and frequency-tunable speed close to a bounding plane in a viscous fluid. At high driving frequency, HIs dominate over magnetic dipolar ones, and close propelling particles couple into bound states by adjusting their translational speed to optimize the transport of the pair. The physical system is described by considering

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Pedrero F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5786442 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature