Three dimensional contractile droplet under confinement

Abstract

We numerically study the dynamics of a three-dimensional contractile fluid droplet in the bulk and under confinement. We show that varying activity leads to a variety of shapes and motile regimes whose motion is driven by an interplay between spontaneous flows and elasticity. In the bulk the droplet self-propels unidirectionally, acquiring either an almost spherical shape at intermediate activity or a peanut-like geometry for larger values. Under confinement, the droplet exhibits a previously unreported oscillating dynamics characterized by periodic hits against opposite walls of a microchannel while moving forward. These results could be of interest for the study of artificial microswimmers and their biological analogs, such as living cells.