Removal of microparticles by ciliated surfaces: an experimental study

Biological cilia are versatile hair‐like organelles that are very efficient in manipulating particles for, e.g., feeding, antifouling, and cell transport. Inspired by the versatility of cilia, this paper experimentally demonstrates active particle‐removal by self‐cleaning surfaces that are fully or partially covered with micromolded magnetic artificial cilia (MAC). Actuated by a rotating magnet, the MAC can perform a tilted conical motion, which leads to the removal of spherical particles of different sizes in water, as well as irregular‐shaped sand grains both in water and in air. These findings can contribute to the development of novel particulate manipulation and self‐cleaning/antifouling surfaces, which can be applied, e.g., to prevent fouling of (bio)sensors in lab‐on‐a‐chip devices, and to prevent biofouling of submerged surfaces such as marine sensors and water quality analyzers.