Self-Motile Colloidal Particles: From Directed Propulsion to Random Walk

Jonathan R. Howse, Richard A. L. Jones, Anthony J. Ryan, Tim Gough, Reza Vafabakhsh, and Ramin Golestanian
Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 048102 – Published 27 July 2007
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Abstract

The motion of an artificial microscale swimmer that uses a chemical reaction catalyzed on its own surface to achieve autonomous propulsion is fully characterized experimentally. It is shown that at short times it has a substantial component of directed motion, with a velocity that depends on the concentration of fuel molecules. At longer times, the motion reverts to a random walk with a substantially enhanced diffusion coefficient. Our results suggest strategies for designing artificial chemotactic systems.

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  • Received 6 March 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.048102

©2007 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Jonathan R. Howse1, Richard A. L. Jones1,*, Anthony J. Ryan2, Tim Gough3, Reza Vafabakhsh4, and Ramin Golestanian1,†

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
  • 2Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7HF, United Kingdom
  • 3IRC in Polymer Engineering, University of Bradford, BD7 1DP, United Kingdom
  • 4Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences, Zanjan 45195-1159, Iran

  • *r.a.l.jones@sheffield.ac.uk
  • r.golestanian@sheffield.ac.uk

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Issue

Vol. 99, Iss. 4 — 27 July 2007

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