Executive Summary : | The proposal aims to understand the fundamentals behind self-propulsion of a technologically relevant system, such as active emulsion droplets atop a surfactant containing water bath. By using emulsion droplets composed of two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water, stabilized by a surfactant, droplets can become self-propelled under appropriate conditions, allowing them to move in a controlled manner and transport a molecular payload to specific locations. This understanding can improve material designing rules and defy performance in self-propelling active emulsion droplets and particles. The proposal also contributes to the long-standing fundamental counter-intuitive understanding of self-propelling active emulsion droplets and particles, which deals with mimicking biological collective phenomena and advanced experimental studying of rheology, patterning instability, and phase transitions in systems far from thermodynamic equilibrium. The key challenge lies in creating an experimentally accessible plan that considers these aspects and the droplet's encapsulation ability as a micro-carrier. This will enable the primary output as an extended knowledge-base and more robust handle to control microrheology and transport of micro-carriers atop a structured soft matter bath. |