Speaker
Giovanni Volpe
(Gothenburg University)
Description
Active Brownian particles, also referred to as microswimmers
and nanoswimmers, are biological or manmade microscopic and
nanoscopic particles that can self-propel. Because of their
activity, their behavior can only be explained and
understood within the framework of nonequilibrium physics.
In the biological realm, many cells perform active motion,
for example, when moving away from toxins or towards
nutrients. Inspired by these motilemicroorganisms,
researchers have been developing artificial active particles
that feature similar swimming behaviors based on different
mechanisms; these manmade micro- and nanomachines hold a
great potential as autonomous agents for healthcare,
sustainability, and security applications. With a focus on
the basic physical features of the interactions of active
particles with a crowded and complex environment, this
seminar will provide a guided tour through the basic
principles of active matter, the development of artificial
self-propelling micro- and nanoparticles, and their
application to the study of nonequilibrium phenomena, as
well as the open challenges that the field is currently facing.