Abstract
Dielectric particles suspended in a weakly conducting fluid are known to spontaneously start rotating under the action of a sufficiently strong uniform dc electric field due to the Quincke rotation instability. This rotation can be converted into translation when the particles are placed near a surface providing useful model systems for active matter. Using a combination of numerical simulations and theoretical modeling, we demonstrate that it is possible to convert this spontaneous Quincke rotation into spontaneous translation in a plane perpendicular to the electric field in the absence of surfaces by relying on geometrical asymmetry instead.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 194503 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 122 |
Issue number | 19 |
Early online date | 16 May 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 17 May 2019 |
Keywords
- dielectric particles
- Quincke rotation
- bacterial colonies
- active particles