There has been much interest in using catalytic Janus particles to make active motors that can move, carry and deliver cargoes. Many applications of such motors include moving objects through complex environments, including in the body for drug delivery. However, all previous experimental work using synthetic colloidal motors have been reported in water. The first step in understanding more complex environments is to examine viscosified, but still Newtonian, fluids. Such systems are more easily examined both experimentally and theoretically.<br/>We have experimentally studied the variation of the propulsion velocity of active colloidal particles which catalyze a chemical reaction asymmetrically on their surfaces as a function of solution viscosity. We find that the velocity inversely varies with viscosity with a saturation for higher viscosities. Additionally, the type of viscosifying agent used affects the interaction between fuel molecules and the motor and hence affects propulsion. A diffusion-reaction model has been proposed as an attempt to understand the observed experimental trends. By incorporating the fluid properties of the medium, these studies will be instrumental in understanding the future design considerations of motors swimming in complex environments.<br/>

Effect of viscosity on the propulsive motion of catalytic Janus motors

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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