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We consider the dynamics of micro-sized, asymmetrically-coatedthermoresponsive hydrogel ribbons (microgels) under periodic heating andcooling in the confined space between two planar surfaces. As the result of thetemperature changes, the volume and thus the shape of the slender microgelchange, which lead to repeated cycles of bending and elastic relaxation, and tonet locomotion. Small devices designed for biomimetic locomotion need toexploit flows that are not symmetric in time (non-reciprocal) to escape theconstraints of the scallop theorem and undergo net motion. Unlike otherbiological slender swimmers, the non-reciprocal bending of the gel centrelineis not sufficient here to explain for the overall swimming motion. We showinstead that the swimming of the gel results from the flux of waterperiodically emanating from (or entering) the gel itself due to its shrinking(or swelling). The associated flows induce viscous stresses that lead to a netpropulsive force on the gel. We derive a theoretical model for this hypothesisof jet-driven propulsion, which leads to excellent agreement with ourexperiments.

Jet-driven viscous locomotion of confined thermoresponsive microgels