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Multiple phoretic mechanisms in the self-propulsion of a Pt-insulator Janus swimmer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 September 2017

Yahaya Ibrahim ,
Ramin Golestanian  and
Tanniemola B. Liverpool Open the ORCID record for Tanniemola B. Liverpool [Opens in a new window]
Yahaya Ibrahim
Affiliation:
School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TW, UK
Ramin Golestanian
Affiliation:
Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, 1 Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3NP, UK
Tanniemola B. Liverpool*
Affiliation:
School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TW, UK BrisSynBio, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
*
†Email address for correspondence: [email protected]
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Abstract

We present a detailed theoretical study which demonstrates that electrokinetic effects can also play a role in the motion of metallic-insulator spherical Janus particles. Essential to our analysis is the identification of the fact that the reaction rates depend on Pt-coating thickness and that the thickness of coating varies from pole to equator of the coated hemisphere. We find that their motion is due to a combination of neutral and ionic-diffusiophoretic as well as electrophoretic effects whose interplay can be changed by varying the ionic properties of the fluid. This has great potential significance for optimizing performance of designed synthetic swimmers.

JFM classification

Biological Fluid Dynamics: Biological Fluid Dynamics Micro-/Nano-fluid dynamics: Micro-/Nano-fluid dynamics Biological Fluid Dynamics: Propulsion
Type
Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 828 , 10 October 2017 , pp. 318 - 352
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Copyright
© 2017 Cambridge University Press 

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