# Active particles powered by Quincke rotation in a bulk fluid

## TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that dielectric particles can spontaneously translate in a plane perpendicular to an electric field through Quincke rotation, using geometrical asymmetry, without the need for surfaces, combining simulations and theoretical models.

## Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanism for active particle translation driven by Quincke rotation relying solely on geometrical asymmetry, expanding active matter control methods.

## Key findings

- Particles can spontaneously translate in bulk fluid due to Quincke rotation.
- Geometrical asymmetry enables translation without surface interactions.
- Theoretical and simulation results confirm the mechanism.

## Abstract

Dielectric particles suspended in a weakly conducting fluid are known to spontaneously start rotating under the action of a sufficiently strong uniform DC electric field due to the Quincke rotation instability. This rotation can be converted into translation when the particles are placed near a surface providing useful model systems for active matter. Using a combination of numerical simulations and theoretical models, we demonstrate that it is possible to convert this spontaneous Quincke rotation into spontaneous translation in a plane perpendicular to the electric field in the absence of surfaces by relying on geometrical asymmetry instead.