Swimmers and self-propelled particles are physical models for the collective behavior and motility of a wide variety of living systems, such as bacteria colonies, bird flocks, and fish schools. Such artificial active materials are amenable to physical models which reveal the microscopic mechanisms underlying the collective behavior. Here we study colloids in a dc electric field. Our quasi-two-dimensional system of electrically driven particles exhibits a rich and exotic phase behavior exhibiting passive crystallites, motile crystallites, an active gas, and banding. Amongst these are two mesophases, reminiscent of systems with competing interactions. At low field strengths activity suppresses demixing, leading to motile crystallites. Meanwhile, at high field strengths, activity drives partial demixing to traveling bands. We parametrize a particulate simulation model which reproduces the experimentally observed phases.

Active matter systems may be characterized by the conversion of energy into active motion, e.g., the self-propulsion of microorganisms. Artificial active colloids form models that exhibit essential properties of more complex biological systems but are amenable to laboratory experiments. While most experimental models consist of spheres, active particles of different shapes are less understood. Furthermore, interactions between these anisotropic active colloids are even less explored. Here, we investigate the motion of active colloidal clusters and the interactions between them. We focus on self-assembled dumbbells and trimers powered by an external dc electric field. For dumbbells, we observe an activity-dependent behavior of spinning, circular, and orbital motions. Moreover, collisions between dumbbells lead to the hierarchical self-assembly of tetramers and hexamers, both of which form rotational excited states. On the other hand, trimers exhibit flipping motion that leads to trajectories reminiscent of a honeycomb lattice.

Active matter systems may be characterised by the conversion of energy into active motion, e.g. the self-propulsion of microorganisms. Artificial active colloids form models which exhibit essential properties of more complex biological systems but are amenable to laboratory experiments. While most experimental models consist of spheres, such as Janus particles, active particles of different shapes are less understood. In particular, interactions between such active colloidal "molecules" are largely unexplored. Here, we investigate the motion of active colloidal molecules and the interactions between them. We focus on self-assembled dumbbells and trimers powered by an external electric field. For dumbbells, we observe an activity-dependent behavior of spinning, circular and orbital motion. Moreover, collisions between dumbbells lead to the hierarchical self-assembly of tetramers and hexamers, both of which form rotational excited states. On the other hand, trimers exhibit a novel type of flipping motion that leads to trajectories reminiscent of a honeycomb lattice.