Abstract
Natural organisms such as cactus spines or trachea cilia have unique directional transport ability, owing to their anisotropic surface structures or asymmetric motion. However, most artificial interfacial materials are incapable of transporting macroscale object underwater. Herein, we report that anisotropic microcilia arrays, composed of cobalt fine powder and PDMS, can successfully transport the centimeter-scale hydrogel underwater by periodically asymmetric stroke under alternative magnetic field. Reciprocal collective stroke of anisotropic microcilia can generate directional flow, propelling the centimeter-scale hydrogel slice forward. Accompanying computational simulation results are consistent with the directional transport behaviors observed in our experiments. This study provides a clue to design artificial anisotropic interfacial materials with capability of transporting macroscale object at low Reynolds number.
摘要
很多自然生物组织, 如猪笼草或气管纤毛, 由于具有各向异性结构或者能够不对称摆动, 而呈现出独特的定向输运功能. 但是大多仿生材料并不能在水下对宏观物体进行输运. 在这里, 我们报道了一种具有各向异性的磁响应性纤毛结构, 能够通过其周期性的不对称摆动,在水下驱动厘米尺度水凝胶. 在进一步的实验中, 我们观察到这种纤毛阵列的协同摆动能够产生液体的定向流动, 从而推动凝胶片向前运动. 同时, 相关的模拟证实了实验结果. 这种能够在水下进行定向物体输运的人造纤毛结构将在微流控、生物工程等领域中发挥重要作用.
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Acknowledgements
This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21425314, 21434009, 21421061, 11402274 and 11772343), the Program for Changjiang Scholars and the Top- Notch Young Talents Program of China.
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Yuefeng Wang is currently a doctoral student in the Technical Institute of Chemistry and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), under the supervision of Prof. Shutao Wang. His main research focuses on bio-inspired materials.
Xiaodong Chen is currently an associate professor in the Institute of Mechanics, CAS. He received his PhD degree from the School of Astronautics, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He worked in the Department of aeronautics and astronautics, Georgia institute of technology as a postdoctorcal research assosiate for two years. His research interests are in the areas of micro-nano fluid mechanics and aerospace propulsion theory and engineering.
Kang Sun is currently an associate research professor at Sun Yat-sen University. He received his PhD degree from the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, followed by a postdoctoral research in the Institute of Chemistry, CAS. His research interests include bioinspired smart interface, organs on a chip and clinical test.
Shutao Wang is currently a full professor in the Technical Institute of Chemistry and Physics, CAS. He received his PhD degree from the Institute of Chemistry, CAS. His research interests focus on the design and fabrication of bioinspired interface materials with controlled surface adhesion and nanobiointerface for theranostics.
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Wang, Y., Chen, X., Sun, K. et al. Directional transport of centimeter-scale object on anisotropic microcilia surface under water. Sci. China Mater. 62, 236–244 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-018-9302-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-018-9302-4