Dynamic Coupling at Low Reynolds Number

Self‐propelled active swimmers, while transducing chemical energy into mechanical motion, considerably influence the dynamics of their surroundings. The controlled propulsion of motors offers the ability to impart and manipulate the motion of dispersed objects in liquids, which enables interaction principles of non‐equilibrium systems to be identified and the behavior of dynamically coupled particle assemblies to be harnessed for useful applications.

Abstract

Collective and emergent behaviors of active colloids provide useful insights into the statistical physics of out‐of‐equilibrium systems. Colloidal suspensions containing microscopic active swimmers have been intensively studied to understand the principles of energy transfer at low Reynolds number conditions. Studies on active enzymes and Ångström‐sized organometallic catalysts have demonstrated that energy can even be transferred by molecules to their surroundings, thereby influencing the overall dynamics of the systems substantially. By monitoring the diffusion of non‐reacting tracers in active solutions, it has been shown that the nature of energy transfer in systems containing different swimmers is surprisingly similar—irrespective of their size, modes of energy transduction, and propulsion strategies. This Review discusses research results obtained so far in this direction, highlighting the common features observed in the dynamic coupling of swimmers with their surroundings.

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