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Cooperation in a fluid swarm of fuel-free micro-swimmers.

ABSTRACT: While motile bacteria display rich dynamics in dense colonies, the phoretic nature of artificial micro-swimmers restricts their activity when crowded. Here we introduce a new class of synthetic micro-swimmers that are driven solely by light. By coupling a light absorbing particle to a fluid droplet we produce a colloidal chimera that transforms optical power into propulsive thermo-capillary action. The swimmers' internal drive allows them to operate for a long duration (days) and remain active when crowded, forming a high density fluid phase. We find that above a critical concentration, swimmers form a long lived crowded state that displays internal dynamics. When passive particles are introduced, the dense swimmer phase can re-arrange to spontaneously corral the passive particles. We derive a geometrical, depletion-like condition for corralling by identifying the role the passive particles play in controlling the effective concentration of the micro-swimmers.

SUBMITTER: Ben Zion MY

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8748659 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Cooperation in a fluid swarm of fuel-free micro-swimmers.

Ben Zion Matan Yah MY Caba Yaelin Y Modin Alvin A Chaikin Paul M PM

Nature communications 20220110 1

While motile bacteria display rich dynamics in dense colonies, the phoretic nature of artificial micro-swimmers restricts their activity when crowded. Here we introduce a new class of synthetic micro-swimmers that are driven solely by light. By coupling a light absorbing particle to a fluid droplet we produce a colloidal chimera that transforms optical power into propulsive thermo-capillary action. The swimmers' internal drive allows them to operate for a long duration (days) and remain active w ...[more]

PMID: 35013335

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