Abstract
We consider the dynamics of micro-sized, asymmetrically coated thermoresponsive hydrogel ribbons (microgels) under periodic heating and cooling in the confined space between two planar surfaces. As the result of the temperature changes, the volume and, thus, the shape of the slender microgel change, which leads to repeated cycles of bending and elastic relaxation, and to net locomotion. Small devices designed for biomimetic locomotion need to exploit flows that are not symmetric in time (non-reciprocal) to escape the constraints of the scallop theorem and undergo net motion. Unlike other biological slender swimmers, the non-reciprocal bending of the gel centerline is not sufficient here to explain for the overall swimming motion. We show instead that the swimming of the gel results from the flux of water periodically emanating from (or entering) the gel itself due to its shrinking (or swelling). The associated flows induce viscous stresses that lead to a net propulsive force on the gel. We derive a theoretical model for this hypothesis of jet-driven propulsion, which leads to excellent agreement with our experiments.
Highlights
We derive a theoretical model for this hypothesis of jet-driven propulsion, which leads to excellent agreement with our experiments
We investigate the motion of artificial microswimmers based on a thermoresponsive hydrogel actuated under reciprocal cycles of heating and cooling
Using standard modeling of the hydrodynamic forces and flows for slender objects, we show that the non-reciprocity in shape change is not sufficient to account for the overall swimming motion
Summary
At remain identical under a time-reversible symmetry), the overall displacement of the swimmer is necessarily zero. We first explore experimentally the propulsive features of these swimmers and find that the external actuation results in a slightly non-reciprocal shape change.
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