Programming the dynamics of active colloids
Kyle Bishop, Columbia
Abstract:
Active colloidal particles harness energy from their environment to
power directed motions relative to their fluid surroundings.
Inspired by the locomotion of microorganisms, these artificial
swimmers are actively pursued for their potential to navigate
complex environments and deliver cargo to targeted locations.
The rational design of such particles and their assemblies requires
strategies by which to encode the desired behaviors into the
particles themselves or their environment. This talk will
describe two such strategies for engineering particle
dynamics. The first explores how particle shape and symmetry
can be used to achieve diverse particle motions driven by various
propulsion mechanisms (induced charge electrophoresis, asymmetric
acoustic streaming, and contact charge electrophoresis). The second
examines how patterning constraints among electrostatic particle
oscillators can enable their synchronization to form traveling waves
of mechanical actuation.