Multiple phoretic mechanisms in the self-propulsion of a Pt-insulator Janus swimmer

Abstract

We present a detailed theoretical study which demonstrates that electrokinetic effects can also play a role in the motion of metallic-insulator spherical Janus particles. Essential to our analysis is the identification of the fact that the reaction rates depend on Pt-coating thickness and that the thickness of coating varies from pole to equator of the coated hemisphere. We find that their motion is due to a combination of neutral and ionic-diffusiophoretic as well as electrophoretic effects whose interplay can be changed by varying the ionic properties of the fluid. This has great potential significance for optimizing performance of designed synthetic swimmers.