Symmetry breaking propulsion of magnetic microspheres in nonlinearly viscoelastic fluids.

ABSTRACT: Microscale propulsion impacts a diverse array of fields ranging from biology and ecology to health applications, such as infection, fertility, drug delivery, and microsurgery. However, propulsion in such viscous drag-dominated fluid environments is highly constrained, with time-reversal and geometric symmetries ruling out entire classes of propulsion. Here, we report the spontaneous symmetry-breaking propulsion of rotating spherical microparticles within non-Newtonian fluids. While symmetry analysis suggests that propulsion is not possible along the fore-aft directions, we demonstrate the existence of two equal and opposite propulsion states along the sphere's rotation axis. We propose and experimentally corroborate a propulsion mechanism for these spherical microparticles, the simplest mi

SUBMITTER: Rogowski LW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7893017 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature