RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Designing self-propelled, chemically active sheets: Wrappers, flappers, and creepers
JF Science Advances
JO Sci Adv
FD American Association for the Advancement of Science
SP eaav1745
DO 10.1126/sciadv.aav1745
VO 4
IS 12
A1 Laskar, Abhrajit
A1 Shklyaev, Oleg E.
A1 Balazs, Anna C.
YR 2018
UL http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/12/eaav1745.abstract
AB Catalyst-coated, hard particles can spontaneously generate fluid flows, which, in turn, propel the particles through the fluid. If the catalyst-coated object were a deformable sheet, then the self-generated flows could affect not only the sheet’s motion but also its shape. By developing models that capture the interrelated chemical, hydrodynamic, and mechanical interactions, we uncover novel behavior emerging from the previously unstudied coupling between active, soft sheets and the surrounding fluid. The chemically generated flows “sculpt” the sheet into various forms that yield different functionalities, which can be tailored by modifying the sheet’s geometry, patterning the sheet’s surface with different catalysts, and using cascades of chemical reactions. These studies reveal how to achieve both spatial and temporal controls over the position and shape of active sheets and thus use the layers to autonomously and controllably trap soft objects, perform logic operations, and execute multistage processes in fluid-filled microchambers.