During their study, the team discovered that air bubbles, when introduced into the liquid crystal and subjected to pressure variations, could move directionally by periodically changing their sizes. This behavior is a departure from the expected symmetrical expansion or contraction observed in other media. The phenomenon hinges on the emergence of phase defects in the liquid crystal structure adjacent to the air bubbles, which disrupts the bubbles' symmetry and imparts a unidirectional force.
"The discovery highlights how symmetrical objects can achieve directed motion through symmetrically fluctuating sizes, a previously unobserved phenomenon," stated Sung-Jo Kim, the study's lead author. He also noted the potential for applying this principle to a variety of complex fluids, not just liquid crystals.
Professor Jeong emphasized the role of symmetry breaking in time and space as a fundamental driver of motion at the micro-scale. "This finding is crucial for future research into microscopic robots," he added, highlighting the broader implications of their work.
This novel motion principle in liquid crystals underscores the importance of UNIST's research in advancing our understanding of microworld dynamics and opens new avenues for the development of miniature robotic technologies.
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