Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of chemically powered synthetic nanomotors

ABSTRACT

Colloidal motors with micrometer dimensions and no moving parts can be propelled by self-diffusiophoresis. Coupling between molecular concentration gradients generated by asymmetric surface chemical reactions and the velocity slip between colloidal particle and the surrounding fluid solution is responsible for propulsion. The interfacial properties involved in this propulsion mechanism can be described by nonequilibrium thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, disclosing the fundamental role of microreversibility in the coupling between motion and reaction. Among other phenomena, the approach predicts that propulsion by fuel consumption has the reciprocal effect of fuel synthesis by mechanical action.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Active matter
• motors
• diffusiophoresis
• microreversibility
• fluctuation formulas
• collective behavior

Acknowledgments

The Authors thank Patrick Grosfils and Mu-Jie Huang for fruitful discussions. Financial support from the International Solvay Institutes for Physics and Chemistry, the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique - FNRS under the Grant PDR T.0094.16 for the project “SYMSTATPHYS”, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS [PDR~T.0094.16]; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.