Symmetrically pulsating bubbles swim in an anisotropic fluid by nematodynamics

Symmetrically pulsating bubbles swim in an anisotropic fluid by nematodynamics

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Abstract Swimming in low-Reynolds-number fluids requires the breaking of time-reversal symmetry and centrosymmetry.Microswimmers, often with asymmetric shapes, exhibit nonreciprocal motions or exploit nonequilibrium processes to propel.The role of the surrounding fluid has also attracted attention because viscoelastic, non-Newtonian, and anisotropic properties of fluids matter in propulsion efficiency and navigation.Here, we experimentally demonstrate that anisotropic fluids, nematic liquid crystals (NLC), can pet calming peanut butter make a pulsating spherical bubble swim despite its centrosymmetric shape and time-symmetric motion.The NLC breaks the centrosymmetry by a deformed nematic director field with a topological defect accompanying the bubble.

The nematodynamics renders the nonreciprocity in the pulsation-induced fluid flow.We also report speed enhancement by confinement and the propulsion of another symmetry-broken bubble dressed by a bent disclination.Our experiments and theory propose another possible hindigyanvishv.com mechanism of moving bodies in complex fluids by spatiotemporal symmetry breaking.