Microswimmers – From Single Particle Motion to Collective Behavior

Locomotion of autonomous microswimmers is a fascinating field at the cutting edge of science. It combines the biophysics of self-propulsion via motor proteins, artificial propulsion mechanisms, swimming strategies at low Reynolds numbers, the hydrodynamic interaction of swimmers, and the collective motion and synchronisation of large numbers of agents. The articles of this Special Issue are based on the lecture notes of an international summer school, which was organized by the DFG Priority Programme 1726 “Microswimmers – From Single Particle Motion to Collective Behaviour” in the fall of 2015. The minireviews provide a broad overview of the field, covering both elementary and advanced material, as well as selected areas from current research.     

Automated capillary electrophoresis with on-line preconcentration by solid phase extraction using a sequential injection manifold and contactless conductivity detection

An extension of a capillary electrophoresis instrument coupled to a sequential injection analysis manifold was developed for automated measurements with on-line solid-phase extraction preconcentration. An in-house built capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detector was employed for sensitive detection with narrow capillaries of 25 μm internal diameter. The system was assembled into standardized 19 in. frames and racks for easy transport and mobile deployment. The system can be left running unattendedly without manual intervention with good operation stability. To demonstrate the application of the system, a method for the determination of four drugs, namely ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen and bezafibrate, was developed with enrichment factors of up to several hundreds. Detection of the drug residues down to the nM-scale was found possible and the method was found suitable for the detection of ibuprofen in the waste water of a hospital in Hanoi.     

Improving Resolution of Isomeric Flavonoids and Their Glycosides Using Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography Coupled With High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Chromatographia - The separation of isomers is one of the key issues in analysing complex natural matrices, thus commanding a higher separating power from the applied analytical system. In this...     

Linear and nonlinear electromagnetic coupling models in vibration-based energy harvesting

This paper investigates the response of an energy harvester that uses electromagnetic induction to convert ambient vibration into electrical energy. A unique aspect of the present study is the comparison of the system's response behavior when either a linear or a physically motivated form of nonlinear coupling is applied. The motivating hypothesis for this work was that nonlinear coupling could be used to improve the performance of an energy harvester by broadening its frequency response. Combined theoretical and numerical studies investigate the harvester's response for both single and multi-frequency base excitation. Our investigations unveil regions in the parameter space where nonlinear coupling is better than linear coupling and regions where the opposite is true. The meaningful conclusion is that nonlinear coupling can sometimes be detrimental, but it can also be beneficial if properly designed into the system.     

Quenching of Premixed Flames at Cold Walls: Effects on the Local Flow Field

The presence of a turbulent premixed flame strongly influences the properties of the adjacent velocity boundary layer. This influence is studied here using a generic configuration where at atmospheric pressure turbulent premixed methane/air flames interact with a temperature stabilized wall. The experiment is optimized for well-defined boundary conditions and optical accessibility in the zone where the flame impinges at the wall. Laser based diagnostic methods are used to measure two components of the velocity field by particle image velocimetry simultaneously with the flame front position using laser induced fluorescence of the OH molecule. Two measurement planes are selected that are aligned perpendicularly to the surface of the wall. Based on this data, the flow field near the wall is analyzed by different methodologies using laboratory-fixed and flame-conditioned statistics, a quadrant splitting analysis of the Reynolds stresses and an evaluation of the production term of the turbulent kinetic energy. The results of chemically reactive cases are compared to their corresponding non-reactive flows for otherwise identical inflow conditions. In the zone of flame-wall interactions the boundary layer structure and its turbulence are dominated by the turbulent flame. Important features are that the flame compresses the boundary layer already upstream the location where the flame is finally quenched and that ejection and sweeps are no longer the dominant mechanisms as in non-reactive boundary layers. This experimental data may serve additionally as a database for model development for near wall reactive flows.