3D microprinting anisotropic and deformable active matter -- A perspective

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent progress in 3D microprinting of anisotropic active particles, emphasizing how additive manufacturing enhances the exploration of non-equilibrium physics and active matter behaviors.

Contribution

It highlights the advances in fabricating anisotropic active particles via 3D microprinting, expanding the design space for active soft matter and microrobotic applications.

Findings

3D microprinting enables precise control over particle shape and active force placement.

Anisotropic particles exhibit richer dynamics and interactions compared to spherical ones.

New model platforms for studying active matter and developing microrobots are emerging.

Abstract

Active colloidal particles provide versatile model systems for exploring non-equilibrium physics in motile matter. To date, most experimental realizations have focused on spherical particles, largely due to fabrication constraints. However, theoretical and computational studies have long predicted that particle anisotropy and flexibility can dramatically enrich single-particle dynamics, interparticle interactions, and emergent collective behavior. Here, we highlight recent advances in the fabrication of anisotropic active particles and architectures enabled by the unprecedented design freedom of 3D microprinting. We discuss how additive manufacturing is expanding the accessible parameter space of active soft matter, allowing precise control over shape, location of active forces, and functionality at the microscale. These developments establish new model platforms for uncovering fundamental principles of active and soft matter, and simultaneously pave the way toward microrobotic systems with programmable dynamics and emergent functionalities.