Dynamic self-assembly of microscale rotors and swimmers.
Biological systems often involve the self-assembly of basic components into complex and functioning structures. Artificial systems that mimic such processes can provide a well-controlled setting to explore the principles involved and also synthesize useful micromachines. Our experiments show that immotile, but active, components self-assemble into two types of structure that exhibit the fundamental forms of motility: translation and rotation. Specifically, micron-scale metallic rods are designed to induce extensile surface flows in the presence of a chemical fuel; these rods interact with each other and pair up to form either a swimmer or a rotor. Such pairs can transition reversibly between these two configurations, leading to kinetics reminiscent of bacterial run-and-tumble motion.
Applied Mathematics Laboratory, Courant Institute, New York University, 251 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012-1110, USA. megan.davies.wykes@nyu.edu.
Megan S
MS
Davies Wykes
Applied Mathematics Laboratory, Courant Institute, New York University, 251 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012-1110, USA. megan.davies.wykes@nyu.edu and Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, Mayer Hall 4222, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. palacci@physics.ucsd.edu.
Jérémie
J
Palacci
Applied Mathematics Laboratory, Courant Institute, New York University, 251 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012-1110, USA. megan.davies.wykes@nyu.edu.
Takuji
T
Adachi
Applied Mathematics Laboratory, Courant Institute, New York University, 251 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012-1110, USA. megan.davies.wykes@nyu.edu.
Leif
L
Ristroph
Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, 29 Washington Square Place, Brown Building, 5th Fl, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Xiao
X
Zhong
Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, 29 Washington Square Place, Brown Building, 5th Fl, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Michael D
MD
Ward
Applied Mathematics Laboratory, Courant Institute, New York University, 251 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012-1110, USA. megan.davies.wykes@nyu.edu and Department of Physics, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA and NYU-ECNU Institutes of Mathematical Sciences and Physics Research, NYU-Shanghai, 1555 Century Ave, Pudong, Shanghai 200122, China.
Jun
J
Zhang
Applied Mathematics Laboratory, Courant Institute, New York University, 251 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012-1110, USA. megan.davies.wykes@nyu.edu.
Michael J
MJ
Shelley
D007700:Kinetics; D009068:Movement; D012399:Rotation