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Several recent experiments investigate the orientational and transportbehavior of self-driven bacteria and colloidal particles in nematic liquidcrystals. Correspondingly, we study theoretically the dynamics of a minimalmodel microswimmer in a uniaxially anisotropic fluid. As a first step, thehydrodynamic Green's function providing the resulting fluid flow in response toa localized force acting on the anisotropic fluid is derived analytically. Onthis basis, the behavior of both puller- and pusher-type microswimmers in theanisotropic fluid is analyzed. Depending on the propulsion mechanism and therelative magnitude of different involved viscosities, we find alignment of theswimmers parallel or perpendicular to the anisotropy axis. Particularly, alsoan oblique alignment is identified under certain circumstances. The observedswimmer reorientation results from the hydrodynamic coupling between theself-induced fluid flow and the anisotropy of the surrounding fluid, whichdistorts the self-generated flow field. We support parts of our results by asimplified linear stability analysis. Our theoretical predictions are inqualitative agreement with recent experimental observations on swimmingbacteria in nematic liquid crystals. They support the objective of utilizingthe, possibly switchable, anisotropy of a host fluid to guide individualmicroswimmers and active particles along a requested path, enabling controlledactive transport.

physical review fluids

Dynamics of a simple model microswimmer in an anisotropic fluid:  implications for alignment behavior and active transport in a nematic liquid  crystal