Spontaneous assembly of colloidal vesicles driven by active swimmers

TL;DR

This paper investigates how active swimmers in a bath induce the self-assembly of colloidal particles into vesicle structures, revealing mechanisms for creating nanomaterials and trapping microorganisms.

Contribution

It demonstrates that active baths can drive the formation of colloidal vesicles and facilitate swimmer trapping, providing insights into active matter self-assembly.

Findings

Active baths promote the formation of colloidal vesicles.

Vesicles densely filled with active swimmers are observed.

The process suggests new methods for nanomaterial fabrication and microorganism trapping.

Abstract

We explore the self-assembly process of colloidal structures immersed in active baths. By considering low-valence particles we numerically investigate the irreversible aggregation dynamics originated by the presence of run-and-tumble swimmers. We observe the formation of long closed chains -- vesicles -- densely filled by active swimmers. On the one hand the active bath drives the self-assembly of closed colloidal structures, and on the other hand the vesicles formation fosters the self-trapping of swimmers, suggesting new ways both to build structured nanomaterials and to trap microorganisms.