Using active particles to construct programmable materials can become a reality, suggests a researcher. (Stock image)
Credit: © Anette Linnea Rasmus /
Fotolia
Light
of a certain wavelength can be used to put so-called active materials into
motion and control their movement. In the future, this discovery can become
significant in widely different areas such as environmental protection,
medicine and the development of new materials which can be programmed.
Joakim
Stenhammar at Lund University in Sweden led the study where he, together with
colleagues from universities in Düsseldorf, Edinburgh and Cambridge, developed
a model in which patterns of light control the movement of active particles.
The light makes synthetically produced particles as well as microorganisms,
such as bacteria and algae, spontaneously form into something that can be
compared to a pump.
In
previous research, this type of "pump" has been produced
artificially. What's new about this study is that it uses light to make active
particles construct their own pump to move themselves around. By adjusting the
light, it is possible to steer the particles in a different direction.
This
is a relatively new research field, but there are many ideas for its future
areas of application. Active particles can move with the help of fuel, for
example sugar. One possible application is to have active particles deliver
pharmaceutical substances or nano-sensors to specific parts of the body. Within
environmental science, the active particles could be compared to targeted
robots that can locate oil spills and then release chemicals to break down any
contamination.
"Our
strategy has the potential of developing into an inexpensive and simple way to
pump and control bacteria and other active materials," says Joakim
Stenhammar.
He
finds that its greatest potential is within materials science. Using active
particles to construct programmable materials can become a reality. By changing
the external conditions, it may be possible to change the structure, properties
and function of a material.
"Our
results show how the properties of active particles can be used to design new
materials that we are unable to produce today," says Joakim Stenhammar.
https://www.sciencedaily.com
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