Coordinating an Ensemble of Chemical Micromotors via Spontaneous Synchronization

Abstract

Spatiotemporal coordination of a nanorobot ensemble is critical for their operation in complex environments, such as tissue removal or drug delivery. Current strategies of achieving this task, however, rely heavily on sophisticated, external manipulation. We here present an alternative, biomimetic strategy by which oscillating Ag Janus micromotors spontaneously synchronize their dynamics as chemically coupled oscillators. By quantitatively tracking the kinetics at both an individual and cluster level, we find that synchronization emerges as the oscillating entities are increasingly coupled as they approach each other. In addition, the synchronized beating of a cluster of these oscillating colloids was found to be dominated by substrate electroosmosis, revealed with the help of an acoustic trapping technique. This quantitative, systematic study of synchronizing micromotors could facilitate the design of biomimetic nanorobots that spontaneously communicate and organize at micro- and nanoscales. It also serves as a model system for nonlinear active matter.

Shaping the gradients driving phoretic micro-swimmers: influence of swimming speed, budget of carbonic acid and environment

“…Consequently, a slowdown of propulsion may result from fuel exhaustion or decomposition. More complicated modifications, like oscillatory propulsion, on-off switches, steering, cargo pickup and delivery, are conveniently realized employing oscillating chemical reactions [35,36], as well as via additional local or global magnetic or optical fields [37][38][39][40][41].…”

“…These are further increased in the case of collective behaviour like swarm formation and other dynamic phase transitions [32]. Several diffusio-phoretic selfpropulsion mechanisms and the corresponding swimming performance have been characterized in great detail [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41]. However, experimental data on the shape and evolution of the relevant chemical concentration fields, as well as on their mutual phoretic and hydrodynamic couplings, are sparse.…”

The Encoding of Light‐Driven Micro/Nanorobots: from Single to Swarming Systems

“…Interestingly, the nonoscillatory micromotors can be transformed into spontaneous oscillators after the diffusion and deposition of Ag ions, which shows an intelligent “teaching and learning” behavior and the possibility of smart LMNR design (Figure 7c). [ 96–99 ]…”

“…Interestingly, the nonoscillatory micromotors can be transformed into spontaneous oscillators after the diffusion and deposition of Ag ions, which shows an intelligent "teaching and learning" behavior and the possibility of smart LMNR design (Figure 7c). [96][97][98][99] An artificial active system can be achieved by the lighttriggered assembly. Palacci et al have, for instance, demonstrated a crystal formation in photoactivated Fe 2 O 3 -polymer sphere (3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane) patchy particles, which were referred to as "living crystals", and showed reversible crystallization and disassembly manipulated by light.…”

A Journey of Nanomotors for Targeted Cancer Therapy: Principles, Challenges, and a Critical Review of the State‐of‐the‐Art

“…Biomimetic control Ref. [ 165] Chemically powered oscillatory micromotors that spontaneously synchronize Termination Safe, biocompatible removal of nanomotors Designing nanomotors with biodegradable materials…”