Abstract
We investigate the dynamics of structured photoactive microswimmers and show that morphology sensitively determines the swimming behavior. Particular to this study, a major portion of the light-activated particles' underlying structure is built from a photocatalytic material, made possible by dynamic physical vapor deposition (DPVD). We find that swimmers of this type exhibit unique shape-dependent autonomous swimming that is distinct from what is seen in systems with similar structural morphology but not fabricated directly from the catalyst. Notably, the direction of motion is a function of these parameters. Because the swimming behavior is strongly correlated with particle shape and material composition, DPVD allows for engineering small-scale propulsion by adjusting the fabrication parameters to match the desired performance.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 18050-18056 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 21 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 30 2018 |
Keywords
- active colloids
- active matter
- light-activated particles
- self-propulsion
- shape-dependent motion
- titanium dioxide
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Materials Science