Femtosecond laser architectured alcohol-driven rapid Marangoni swimmer

Abstract

Bionic designs that mimic insects' utilization of the Marangoni effect for rapid movement on water surfaces have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their critical applications in military reconnaissance, environmental monitoring, and biomedical engineering, among others. This study presents a method for fabricating swimmers with a super-alcoholophilic (SAL) surface using femtosecond laser technology, enabling the rapid movement of the swimmers on water. By modifying the dimensions of the swimmers and the SAL surface area, we investigate the resulting variations in the motion characteristics of the swimmers. Our findings indicate the similarity of speed profile characteristics between swimmers of varying widths, each designed with a corresponding base length of triangular SAL surface. A maximum linear speed of 393 mm/s was achieved by adjusting the width of the swimmers and the base length. The clockwise or anticlockwise spiral motion is also realized for the swimmers, while the rotor achieving high-speed rotation. This study offers foundational insights into the motion characteristics, informing the design and development of future bio-inspired Marangoni swimmers.