Related papers: Self-diffusiophoretic propulsion of a spheroidal p…
In this work, we study active particles with prescribed surface velocities in non-Newtonian fluids. We employ the reciprocal theorem to obtain the velocity of an active spherical particle with an arbitrary axisymmetric slip-velocity in an…
Janus particles propel themselves by generating concentration gradients along their active surface. This induces a flow near the surface, known as the diffusio-osmotic slip, which propels the particle even in the absence of externally…
We experimentally investigate active motion of spherical Janus colloidal particles in a viscoelastic fluid. Self-propulsion is achieved by a local concentration gradient of a critical polymer mixture which is imposed by laser illumination.…
Particle motion in non-Newtonian fluids can be markedly different than in Newtonian fluids. Here we look at the change in dynamics for a few problems involving rigid spherical particles in shear-thinning fluids in the absence of inertia. We…
Many microorganisms find themselves immersed in fluids displaying non-Newtonian rheological properties such as viscoelasticity and shear-thinning viscosity. The effects of viscoelasticity on swimming at low Reynolds numbers have already…
In this work, we numerically investigate the dynamics of a self-propelling autophoretic Janus particle in a weakly viscoelastic fluid. The self-propulsion is achieved by an asymmetry in the properties of the surface of the Janus particle…
Microscale propulsion is integral to numerous biomedical systems, for example biofilm formation and human reproduction, where the surrounding fluids comprise suspensions of polymers. These polymers endow the fluid with non-Newtonian…
We theoretically study the self-propulsion of a thin (slender) colloid driven by asymmetric chemical reactions on its surface at vanishing Reynolds number. Using the method of matched asymptotic expansions, we obtain the colloid…
Shear-thinning is an important rheological property of many biological fluids, such as mucus, whereby the apparent viscosity of the fluid decreases with shear. Certain microscopic swimmers have been shown to progress more rapidly through…
Most available theoretical predictions for the self-diffusiophoretic motion of colloidal particles are based on the hydrodynamic thin boundary layer approximation in combination with a solvent body force due to a self-generated local solute…
This paper evaluates the behavior of a single rigid ellipsoidal particle suspended in homogenous viscous flow with a power-law Generalized Newtonian Fluid (GNF) rheology using a custom-built finite element analysis (FEA) simulation. The…
Spherical Janus particles are one of the most prominent examples for active Brownian objects. Here, we study the diffusiophoretic motion of such microswimmers in experiment and in theory. Three stages are found: simple Brownian motion at…
Propulsion through fluids is a key component in the life cycle of many microbes, be it in development, infection, or simply finding nutrients. In systems of biomedical relevance, this propulsion is often through polymer suspensions that…
We investigate the dynamics of a prolate spheroid in a shear flow of a shear-thinning Carreau fluid. The motion of a prolate particle is developed analytically for asymptotically weak shear thinning and then integrated numerically. We find…
In biological systems, microswimmers often propel themselves through complex media. However, many aspects of swimming mechanisms in non-Newtonian fluids remain unclear. This study considers the propulsion of two types of single spherical…
To fully harness the potential of artificial active colloids, investigation of their response to various external stimuli including external flow is of great interest. Therefore, in this study, we perform experiments on SiO2-Pt Janus…
For natural microswimmers, the interplay of swimming activity and external flow can promote robust motion, e.g. propulsion against ("upstream rheotaxis") or perpendicular to the direction of flow. These effects are generally attributed to…
Janus phoretic particles exploit chemical energy stored in their environment to self-propel. These active particles modify and respond to their hydrodynamic and chemical environments, thus giving them a sensibility to external flows and…
We study the self-diffusiophoresis of a spherical chemically active particle near a planar, impermeable wall, with a focus on the influence of particle orientation on propulsion. We analyze a Janus particle with asymmetric surface chemical…
Swimming microorganisms often have to propel in complex, non-Newtonian fluids. We carry out experiments with self-propelling helical swimmers driven by an externally rotating magnetic field in shear-thinning, inelastic fluids. Similarly to…