Self-Propulsion by Directed Explosive Emulsification

Wu, Xuefei; Xue, Han; Bordia, Gautam; Fink, Zachary; Kim, Paul Y.; Streubel, Robert; Han, Jiale; Helms, Brett A.; Ashby, Paul D.; Omar, Ahmad K.; Russell, Thomas P.

doi:10.1002/adma.202310435

Title: Self-Propulsion by Directed Explosive Emulsification

Journal Article · 21 February 2024 · Advanced Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202310435 · OSTI ID:2429596

Wu, Xuefei ^[1]; Xue, Han ^[1]; Bordia, Gautam ^[2]; Fink, Zachary ^[3]; Kim, Paul Y. ^[1]; Streubel, Robert ^[4]; Han, Jiale ^[2]; Helms, Brett A. ^[5]; Ashby, Paul D. ^[5]; Omar, Ahmad K. ^[2];

^[3]

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)
Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (United States)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Molecular Foundry

An active droplet system, programmed to repeatedly move autonomously at a specific velocity in a well-defined direction, is demonstrated. Coulombic energy is stored in oversaturated interfacial assemblies of charged nanoparticle-surfactants by an applied DC electric field and can be released on demand. Spontaneous emulsification is suppressed by an increase in the stiffness of the oversaturated assemblies. Rapidly removing the field releases the stored energy in an explosive event that propels the droplet, where thousands of charged microdroplets are ballistically ejected from the surface of the parent droplet. The ejection is made directional by a symmetry breaking of the interfacial assembly, and the combined interaction force of the microdroplet plume on one side of the droplet propels the droplet distances tens of times its size, making the droplet active. The propulsion is autonomous, repeatable, and agnostic to the chemical composition of the nanoparticles. The symmetry-breaking in the nanoparticle assembly controls the microdroplet velocity and direction of propulsion. Finally, this mechanism of droplet propulsion will advance soft micro-robotics, establishes a new type of active matter, and introduces new vehicles for compartmentalized delivery.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division (MSE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 2429596

Journal Information:: Advanced Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Materials Journal Issue: 19 Vol. 36; ISSN 0935-9648

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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