Coated microbubbles swim via shell buckling

Georges Chabouh*, Marcel Mokbel, Benjamin van Elburg, Michel Versluis, Tim Segers, Sebastian Aland, Catherine Quilliet, Gwennou Coupier*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)
10 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Engineered microswimmers show great promise in various biomedical applications. However, their application is hindered by the slow mobility, limited maneuverability and poor biocompatibility. Lipid coated microbubbles have high compressibility and are already approved for clinical use as diagnostic ultrasound contrast agents. Here we experimentally investigate the swimming motion of these microbubbles under external cyclic overpressure. A net displacement was generated via reproducible and non-destructive cycles of deflation and re-inflation of the microbubble. We also propose a numerical model which allows a maximum swimming speed on the order of meters per second, which falls in the range of blood flow velocity in large vessels. Unlike the acoustic radiation force technique, where the displacement is always directed along the axis of ultrasound propagation, here, the direction of propulsion is controlled in the shell reference frame. This provides a solution toward controlled steering for ultrasound molecular imaging and drug delivery.

Original languageEnglish
Article number63
Number of pages8
JournalCommunications Engineering
Volume2
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 7 Sept 2023

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