Microscale Marangoni Surfers

Abstract

We apply laser light to induce the asymmetric heating of Janus colloids adsorbed at water-oil interfaces and realize active micrometric "Marangoni surfers". The coupling of temperature and surfactant concentration gradients generates Marangoni stresses leading to self-propulsion. Particle velocities span four orders of magnitude, from microns/s to cm/s, depending on laser power and surfactant concentration. Experiments are rationalized by finite elements simulations, defining different propulsion regimes relative to the magnitude of the thermal and solutal Marangoni stress components.