Jin Gyun Lee

Active particles are dynamic microscopic model systems to mimic the particular motion of living object such as bacteria and microorganism. In nature, bacteria and microorganism swim in 3D motion to navigate through complex environments. However, mimicking the 3D motion in active particles has been a challenge due to limitations in fabricating low symmetry of patches or synthesizing non-spherical shape particles.

For my research, we use induced charge electrophoresis (ICEP) as a tool to direct the motion of micron-sized polymeric particles with anisotropic metal patch or shape. Application of high frequency AC-field to a polymeric particle with a metal patch in aqueous medium polarizes the ionic double layer around a particle and leads an active motion due to different polarizability between a metal patchy and a polymeric particle. We found that active particles of anisotropic patch/shape can swim in complex 3D motion which is useful to navigate through porous membrane.