How to steer active colloids up a vertical wall

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45872-1
• Publication Date: 2024-02-24T12:02:15Z
• Authors: Adérito Fins Carr...; Adam Wysocki; Christophe Ybert; Mathieu Leocmach; Heiko Rieger; Cécile Cottin-Biz...
• Keywords: Active matter; Climb; Janus Particles; Soft matter

An important challenge in active matter lies harnessing useful global work from entities that produce locally, e.g., via self-propulsion. We investigate here the version of a classical capillary rise effect, by considering non-phase separated sediment self-propelled Janus colloids contact with vertical wall. provide experimental evidence an unexpected and dynamic adsorption layer at Additionally, we develop complementary numerical model recapitulates observations. show adhesive aligning wall enhances pre-existing polarity heterogeneity within bulk, enabling polar particles to climb up against gravity, effectively powering flux. Such steady-state flux has no equivalent passive wetting layer.