Artificial Chemotaxis under Electrodiffusiophoresis

Diffusiophoretic motion induced by gradients of dissolved species has enabled the manipulation of colloids over large distances, spanning hundreds of microns. Nonetheless, studies have primarily focused on simple geometries that feature 1D gradients of solutes generated by reactions or selective dissolution. Thus, our understanding of 3D diffusiophoresis remains elusive despite its importance in wide-ranging scenarios, such as cellular transport and nanofluidics. Herein, we present a strategy to generate 3D chemical gradients under electric fields. In this approach, faradaic reactions at electrodes induce global pH gradients that drive long-range transport through electrodiffusiophoresis. Simultaneously, the electric field induces local pH gradients by driving the particle's double layer far from equilibrium. As a result, while global pH gradients lead to 2D focusing away from electrodes, local pH gradients induce aggregation in the third dimension. Resulting interparticle interactions display a strong dependence on surface chemistry, and particle size. Furthermore, pH gradients can be readily tuned by adjusting the voltage and frequency of the electric field. For large Péclet numbers, we observed a chemotactic-like collapse. Remarkably, such collapse occurs without reactions at a particle's surface. By mixing particles with different sizes, we also demonstrate the emergence of non-reciprocal interactions through experiments and Brownian dynamics simulations. These findings suggest a wide array of possibilities for the dynamic assembly of materials and the design of responsive matter.