Pair interactions of bacterial active droplets in nematic liquid crystals

ORAL

Abstract

Self-propulsion of water-based droplets with a large number of suspended bacteria is enabled by the asymmetric structure (Hyperbolic Hedgehog) forms around them in a nematic liquid crystal environment [1]. Here, we report on the interaction of two active droplets moving: (1) in the same direction, (2) in opposite directions. We also discuss the speeds of the pairs after the interaction comparing to that of the individual droplets.

*This work is supported by the NSF Award number DMR-1905053

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Publication: [1] M. Rajabi, H. Baza, T. Turiv, and O. D. Lavrentovich, Nature Physics 17, 260 (2021).
[2] H. Baza, M. Rajabi, S. Shiyanovskii, O. D. Lavrentovich, Pair interactions of bacterial active droplets in nematic liquid crystals, in preparation.

Presenters

  • Hend M Baza

    • Kent State University

Authors

  • Hend M Baza

    • Kent State University

  • Mojtaba Rajabi

    • Kent State University

  • Sergij V Shiyanovskii

    • Kent State University

  • Oleg D Lavrentovich

    • Kent State University