Self-propelled motion of a fluid droplet under chemical reaction

TL;DR

This paper investigates how chemical reactions and Marangoni effects induce self-propelled motion in fluid droplets, deriving velocity equations and identifying a bifurcation from stationary to moving states.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical model linking chemical reactions and interfacial energy changes to droplet propulsion, deriving velocity equations in the thin interface limit.

Findings

Bifurcation from stationary to moving droplet states

Derived velocity equations for droplet migration

Identified the role of Marangoni effect strength

Abstract

We study self-propelled dynamics of a droplet due to a Marangoni effect and chemical reactions in a binary fluid with a dilute third component of chemical product which affects the interfacial energy of a droplet. The equation for the migration velocity of the center of mass of a droplet is derived in the limit of an infinitesimally thin inter- face. We found that there is a bifurcation from a motionless state to a propagating state of droplet by changing the strength of the Marangoni effect.