Self-propelled motion of a fluid droplet under chemical reaction.

ABSTRACT

We study self-propelled dynamics of a droplet due to a Marangoni effect and chemical reactions in a binary fluid with a dilute third component of chemical product which affects the interfacial energy of a droplet. The equation for the migration velocity of the center of mass of a droplet is derived in the limit of an infinitesimally thin interface. We found that there is a bifurcation from a motionless state to a propagating state of droplet by changing the strength of the Marangoni effect.