Reaction-mediated phoretic transport of colloids in microfluidic channels

Reactive flows are ubiquitous in many natural phenomena and technological applications, from cargo transport in cells to alkaline vents at the bottom of oceans. Chemical reactions can generate and sustain chemical gradients, which in turn can lead to diffusiophoretic migration of colloids. Here, we report on how the interplay between flow and reaction-mediated chemical gradients shape colloidal migration patterns using experiments and numerical simulations.