CHEMOMECHANICAL TRANSDUCTION IN AN OIL-WATER SYSTEM - REGULATION OF THE MACROSCOPIC MECHANICAL MOTION

Self-movement of an oil-water system induced by chemically-driven Mara ngoni instability was studied. Depending on the shape of the vessel an d the amount of oil and water solutions, various modes of movement wer e generated, such as random, rotational, and ameba-like. The most sign ificant finding is the realization of a spatially directed mechanical movement. The mechanism of such chemomechanical transduction is discus sed in relation to an imbalance of the interfacial tension due to a no nlinear oscillation at the interface.