Research Projects

The study aims to investigate the spontaneous flows generated by active particles in fluids, such as suspensions of cytoskeletal elements, bacteria, algae, and janus catalysts. The research aims to control and predict the directionality of these flows, which are crucial for designing self-pumping devices. The project will use symmetry broken surfaces (corrugated boundaries) to break the translational and rotational symmetry of the spontaneous flows generated by active systems. The scientific objectives include understanding how a wavy or corrugated or toothed surface interacts with active fluid flows, quantifying the extent of symmetry breaking, and determining universal principles or parameters that dictate fluid flow direction. The research will use an active fluid model called active nematic, which is a complex fluid consisting of elongated entities representing hydrodynamic stress exerted by cytoskeletal elements, bacteria, or janus catalysts. The project will involve computer-intensive simulations of active nematic fluids in various channel geometries and windmill structures. The project aims to fill a gap in the knowledge base of spontaneous flows in active systems, enabling engineers to design devices for self-pumping and energy extraction at very small length scales using biological materials.