A three-dimensional morphoelastic model for self-oscillations in polyelectrolyte hydrogel filaments

Abstract: We introduce a three-dimensional model for polyelectrolyte hydrogel filaments operating in a fluid environment under an electric field. The formulation builds on a morphoelastic framework for inextensible and unshearable rods, such that the filament's activity is encoded in electric-field-induced spontaneous curvatures, while hydrodynamic interactions are captured via a local approximation of Stokes flows. We employ this framework to investigate the prototypical case of a filament with elliptic cross-section clamped at its base. Under a constant and uniform electric field aligned with its axis, the filament undergoes flutter instability beyond a critical field strength, as revealed by a linear stability analysis. Depending on the model parameters, the instability is characterized by either two- or three-dimensional self-sustained oscillations. We further examine this behaviour through numerical simulations in the post-critical regime, showing that flutter may develop into large amplitude planar oscillations or more complex three-dimensional motions, through a secondary bifurcation. Although the study represents a first step towards extending state-of-the-art models for polyelectrolyte hydrogel filaments to three dimensions, the richness of the resulting dynamics achievable under time-independent forcing underscores the potential of the proposed actuation mechanism for the design of biomimetic cilia and soft robotic systems.