Hiroyuki Kitahata

Convective and periodic motion driven by a chemical wave

The generation of convective flow by a chemical wave was studied experimentally on a mm-sized droplet of Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction medium. A propagating chemical wave causes a transient increase in interfacial tension, and this local change in interfacial tension induces convection. The observed flow profile was reproduced with a numerical simulation by introducing the transient increase in interfacial tension to a modified Navier–Stokes equation coupled with a chemical kinetic equation; a modified Oregonator. We also observed the periodic motion of a BZ droplet floating on an oil phase. Such periodic motion is attributed to the rhythmic change in interfacial tension. The observed periodic convective motion coupled with a chemical reaction is discussed in relation to chemo-mechanical energy transduction under isothermal conditions.

Spontaneous motion of a droplet coupled with a chemical wave.

We propose a framework for the spontaneous motion of a droplet coupled with internal dynamic patterns generated in a reaction-diffusion system. The spatiotemporal order of the chemical reaction gives rise to inhomogeneous surface tension and results in self-propulsion driven by the surrounding flow due to the Marangoni effect. Numerical calculations of internal patterns together with theoretical results of the flow fields at low Reynolds number reproduce well the experimental results obtained using a droplet of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction medium.

Drift instability in the motion of a fluid droplet with a chemically reactive surface driven by Marangoni flow.

We theoretically derive the amplitude equations for a self-propelled droplet driven by Marangoni flow. As advective flow driven by surface tension gradient is enhanced, the stationary state becomes unstable and the droplet starts to move. The velocity of the droplet is determined from a cubic nonlinear term in the amplitude equations. The obtained critical point and the characteristic velocity are well supported by numerical simulations.

Spontaneous Deformation of an Oil Droplet Induced by the Cooperative Transport of Cationic and Anionic Surfactants through the Interface

Spontaneous deformation of a tetradecane droplet with palmitic acid on an aqueous phase with stearyltrimethylammonium chloride is reported. Palmitic acid is transported from the oil droplet to the aqueous phase by the concentration difference between the organic and the aqueous phases. The transport of palmitic acid causes the oil droplet interface to undergo various spontaneous deformations. When the oil droplet is placed on an aqueous surface, its diameter shrinks. Several tens of seconds later, the oil droplet suddenly expands and then shrinks in a second. After such a dramatic deformation, the oil droplet undergoes blebbing on its oil-water interface for over 1 h. We investigated the physicochemical mechanism of these phenomena. We discuss the cause of these deformations in terms of the spatiotemporal variation of the interfacial tension and elucidate that the blebbing deformation is due to the surfactant aggregate generated by cationic and anionic surfactants.

Self-motion of a camphor disk coupled with convection

The self-motion of a camphor disk on water was investigated both experimentally and theoretically. When the camphor disk moved along a one-dimensional water chamber, a convective flow was observed around the disk and the magnitude of convection decreased with an increase in the velocity of camphor motion. The camphor disk exhibited a characteristic motion that depended on the shape of the base of the chamber. The nature of the self-motion was reproduced by a numerical simulation that included the surface tension of the camphor layer as the driving force and Marangoni convection induced by the difference in surface tension around the camphor disk.

Mathematical modeling of frogs’ calling behavior and its possible application to artificial life and robotics

This paper theoretically and qualitatively describes the calling behavior of the Japanese tree frog Hyla japonica with a simple model of phase oscillators. Experimental analysis showed that while an isolated single male frog called nearly periodically, two interacting male frogs called periodically but alternately, with little overlap. We model these phenomena as a system of coupled phase oscillators, where each isolated oscillator behaves periodically as a model of the calling of a single frog, and two coupled oscillators show antiphase synchronization, reflecting the alternately calling behavior of two interacting frogs. Then, we extend the model to a system of three coupled oscillators virtually corresponding to three interacting male frogs, and analyse the nonlinear dynamics and the bifurcation. We also discuss the biological meaning of the calling behavior and its possible application to artificial life and robotics.

Suppression and Regeneration of Camphor-Driven Marangoni Flow with the Addition of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate

We investigated the Marangoni flow around a camphor disk on water with the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The flow velocity decreased with an increase in the concentration of SDS in the aqueous phase, and flow was hardly observed around the critical micelle concentration (cmc), because SDS reduced the driving force of Marangoni flow. However, the flow velocity increased with a further increase in the concentration of SDS. Thus, the Marangoni flow is maximally inhibited around the cmc of SDS. In this paper, we concluded that the regeneration of Marangoni flow originates from an increase in the dissolution rate of camphor into the SDS aqueous solution.

Quantitative Estimation of the Parameters for Self-Motion Driven by Difference in Surface Tension

Quantitative information on the parameters associated with self-propelled objects would enhance the potential of this research field; for example, finding a realistic way to develop a functional self-propelled object and quantitative understanding of the mechanism of self-motion. We therefore estimated five main parameters, including the driving force, of a camphor boat as a simple self-propelled object that spontaneously moves on water due to difference in surface tension. The experimental results and mathematical model indicated that the camphor boat generated a driving force of 4.2 μN, which corresponds to a difference in surface tension of 1.1 mN m(-1). The methods used in this study are not restricted to evaluate the parameters of self-motion of a camphor boat, but can be applied to other self-propelled objects driven by difference in surface tension. Thus, our investigation provides a novel method to quantitatively estimate the parameters for self-propelled objects driven by the interfacial tension difference.

Liquid/liquid dynamic phase separation induced by a focused laser

We found that a focused laser can generate microscopic phase separation in an oil/water system. An oil droplet emerges and grows at the focus of the laser in a water-rich homogeneous medium. In contrast, in an oil-rich homogeneous phase, water droplets spring out in a successive manner from the focus of the laser, move away, and disappear in the surroundings, forming a flower-like pattern. The mechanism of this dynamic phase separation is discussed under the framework of the mean field theory.

Oscillation and Synchronization in the Combustion of Candles

We investigate a simple experimental system using candles; stable combustion is seen when a single candle burns, while oscillatory combustion is seen when three candles burn together. If we consider a set of three candles as a component oscillator, two oscillators, that is, two sets of three candles, can couple with each other, resulting in both in-phase and antiphase synchronization depending on the distance between the two sets. The mathematical model indicates that the oscillatory combustion in a set of three candles is induced by a lack of oxygen around the burning point. Furthermore, we suggest that thermal radiation may be an essential factor of the synchronization.