Perturbing Dynamics of Active Emulsions and Their Collectives

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how embedding anisotropic solid boundaries within active emulsions enables reconfigurable fluidic flows and control over collective behaviors, advancing the design of intelligent, chemotactic droplet systems.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of controlling active emulsion dynamics through solid-fluid interactions, allowing reorientation of flows and emergent behaviors.

Findings

Embedded magnetic clusters reorient fluid flows.

Achiral emulsions exhibit emergent chiral motion.

Solid-fluid interactions enable control over collective droplet behaviors.

Abstract

Controlling fluidic flows in active droplets is crucial in developing intelligent models to understand and mimic single-celled microorganisms. Typically, these fluidic flows are affected by the interfacial dynamics of chemical agents. We found that these flows can be reconfigured by the mere presence of anisotropic solid boundary embedded within active droplets. Spontaneous fluidic flows dynamically orient an embedded magnetic cluster and the magnetic cluster, when realigned, causes these flows to reorient. Thus, providing an unprecedented control over the propulsion dynamics of chemotactic emulsions. When continuously perturbed, achiral emulsions exhibit emergent chiral motion with rotating fluidic flows. Such solid-fluid interactions removes barriers of specific emulsion chemistries and complements their inherent abilities thereby also enabling control over emergent collective behaviors of active droplets.