Zombie diatoms: acoustically powered diatom frustule bio-templated microswimmers.

Ozkan, Mehmed C; McNeill, Jeffrey M; Mallouk, Thomas E · Soft Matter · 2024

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Frustules, or the silica based cell walls of diatomaceous algae <i>Aulacoseira granulata</i>, provide large numbers of reliably cylindrical microstructures with an inner cavity and surface chemistry suitable for constructing bubble-based, acoustically-powered micro-swimmers. In this way, microswimmers can be made in a scalable, accessible and low-cost manner, enabling studies of their individual and collective behavior as active colloids.

Medical subject headings