Disorder-induced persistent random motion and trapping of microswimmers

Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review

Contributors

  • Mirko Residori - , Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (Author)
  • Sebastian Aland - , Clusters of Excellence PoL: Physics of Life, Freiberg University of Mining and Technology, Dresden University of Applied Sciences (HTW), Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD) (Author)
  • Christina Kurzthaler - , Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD), Clusters of Excellence PoL: Physics of Life (Author)

Abstract

Microorganisms often move in confined, disordered environments, where hydrodynamic couplings can modify their transport behavior. Using extensive finite-element simulations, we investigate the dynamics of microswimmers – modeled as squirmers – in two-dimensional disordered porous media by resolving the full hydrodynamic interactions. We reveal that the deterministic coupling between activity, hydrodynamics, and disorder is sufficient to generate effective diffusive transport. Strong pushers and pullers become localized in the porous medium either by trapping at corners or dynamic trapping, depending on swimmer type and the obstacle packing fraction. Squirmers can escape from dynamic traps, leading to prominent “hop-and-trap'' dynamics. Strikingly, we find a pusher-puller asymmetry in the trapping probability that can be reversed by short-range swimmer–obstacle interactions, highlighting the sensitivity of transport to near-field effects.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4559-4573
Number of pages15
JournalSoft matter
Volume22
Issue number26
Publication statusPublished - 8 Jul 2026
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 42359501

Keywords