Purpose This study investigates the electroosmotically induced peristaltic transport of Sutterby hybrid nanofluid through a symmetric ciliated channel, with a focus on understanding the influence of gyrotactic microorganisms on bioconvection, fluid mixing and stability. The purpose of this study is to explore the combined effects of electroosmotic forces, peristaltic motion and cilia-induced propulsion to better capture complex physiological and microfluidic transport phenomena, while also assessing thermodynamic irreversibility and system efficiency through entropy generation analysis. Design/methodology/approach The governing equations, formulated as coupled nonlinear differential equations, are numerically solved using the finite element method under appropriate boundary conditions, accounting for electroosmotic effects, ciliary motion, nanoparticle concentration, microorganism motility and geometric symmetry. Findings The results reveal that stronger electroosmotic effects substantially enhance volumetric flow rates, whereas intensified ciliary action and higher nanoparticle concentrations reduce flow trapping and promote uniform particle dispersion. Microorganism motility significantly influences flow behavior, thermal characteristics and entropy production, while geometric symmetry regulates streamline patterns and microorganism transport efficiency. These findings have practical implications for the design of biomedical devices, including targeted drug delivery systems and microscale heat and mass transfer devices, where precise control of transport processes is essential. Originality/value This study uniquely combines electroosmosis, peristalsis, cilia-driven propulsion, Sutterby rheology and gyrotactic microorganism dynamics to investigate hybrid nanofluid transport in a symmetric channels, offering new insights into flow behavior, particle dispersion and thermodynamic efficiency.
Mehboob et al. (Mon,) studied this question.