Dynamics of self-organization induced by Marangoni instability

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K05616
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biological physics/Chemical physics/Soft matter physics
• Research Institution: Kindai University
• Principal Investigator: Yano Yohko (藤原陽子) 近畿大学, 理工学部, 准教授 (70255264)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: マランゴニ対流 / 自発振動 / 水面上単分子膜 / X線反射率法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Regularly recurring phenomena are a common and important part of life activity. Such rhythmic behaviors are often seen in non-living systems under far-from-equilibrium conditions. The study of simple non-living systems provides clues to understand the origin of biological rhythms. Here, we focus on the spontaneous oscillation of surface tension associated with an intermittent Marangoni convective flow generated by two types of surfactants, partially soluble and insoluble in water. In this system, we find the collective motions of two surfactants interact with each other in a systematic manner to control a stable periodic motion. Recently developed time-resolved X-ray surface scattering technique enable the dynamical structure of the water surface under flow to be determined. We have repeatedly observed that lipid molecules at the air-water interface become regularly oriented normal to the surface at every onset of the Marangoni convective flow.

Free Research Field

化学物理

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回観測したリズム現象は、2種類の界面活性剤がそれぞれ別の役割を担うことによって発生しています。ドナー分子がマランゴニ対流を発生させ、その運動エネルギーがアクセプター分子の弾性エネルギーに変換されます。その弾性エネルギーは、アクセプター分子の運動エネルギーとなって、元の状態に戻るわけです。このように、それぞれ異なる機能を持つ分子を上手く組み合わせることによって、生命のリズムも生まれているに違いありません。