Artificial microswimmers moving by diffusiophoresis
Credit: Tom Montenegro-Johnson and Eric Lauga
Some artificial microswimmers exploit diffusiophoresis to self-propel. Chemicals react with catalysts on the swimmer surface, driving a surface flow that pushes the swimmer forwards. Fast, accurate and simple calculation of the dynamics of such particles is possible with a regularised boundary element method. Here, we see the surface concentration and resultant flow streamlines of a system comprising two unit spheres with uniform surface activity and mobility [paper] [software].
Hydrodynamic interactions in microfluidic channels
Credit: Karolis Misiunas