CHEMOMECHANICAL TRANSDUCTION IN AN OIL-WATER SYSTEM - REGULATION OF THE MACROSCOPIC MECHANICAL MOTION

Self-movement of an oil-water system induced by chemically-driven Marangoni instability was studied. Depending on the shape of the vessel and the amount of oil and water solutions, various modes of movement were generated, such as random, rotational, and ameba-like. The most significant finding is the realization of a spatially directed mechanical movement. The mechanism of such chemomechanical transduction is discussed in relation to an imbalance of the interfacial tension due to a nonlinear oscillation at the interface.