Progress toward Light-Harvesting Self-Electrophoretic Motors: Highly Efficient Bimetallic Nanomotors and Micropumps in Halogen Media

Abstract

We have developed a highly efficient, bubble-free autonomous nanomotor based on a nanobattery. Bimetallic silver-platinum nanorods are powered by self-electrophoresis and show speeds much higher than those of other electrophoretic motors at similar fuel concentrations. The fuel (I2) can be regenerated by exposure to ambient light, leading to renewed motion of the motor. This versatile system can also be made into a micropump that transports fluid and particles.

Electric-Field-Guided Precision Manipulation of Catalytic Nanomotors for Cargo Delivery and Powering Nanoelectromechanical Devices

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Catalytic micro/nanomotors that convert chemical energy into mechanical motions, are one of the most widely exploited autonomous nanomotors. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Billions of catalytic nanomotors can be facilely fabricated by using a variety of techniques, such as electrodeposition into nanoporous templates and electron beam deposition on monolayer nanospheres. [1][2] They self-propel by harvesting chemical energies from fuels in suspension, such as hydrogen peroxide.…”

Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence Imaging of Electrocatalysis at a Single Au‐Pt Janus Nanoparticle

“…Thedetermined k 0 were applied in digital simulation. [18] Here,owing to the different k 0 at Au and Pt, concentration difference should exist around the particle and cause local fluid flow,w hich could improve the mass transport and protect the surface of particle from oxidation. [14] Regarding the higher electrochemical activity of bimetallic Au-Pt JNPs,a sP tw as deposited at Au via vacuum sputtering,there was no stabilizing ligand at its surface,which might facilitate the electron transfer and enhance ECL.…”

“…[17] Therefore,t oe xplain both the high electrochemical activity and stability of Au-Pt JNPs,t he structure property could be the significant factor.Inthe past decades,J anus particle with two distinct faces have been widely explored as artificial motors,s ince at least one of the faces could catalyze chemical reactions in the surrounding solution, leading to an osmotic gradient and af luid slip velocity and resulting in self-propulsion. [18] Here,owing to the different k 0 at Au and Pt, concentration difference should exist around the particle and cause local fluid flow,w hich could improve the mass transport and protect the surface of particle from oxidation. To verify the hypothesis,d igital simulation was performed.…”

Organization of Particle Islands through Light‐Powered Fluid Pumping

“…[2][3][4][5] When motors are affixed to as urface,t hey propel the surrounding fluid, in essence acting as af luidic micropump. [6][7][8] Such approaches eventually encompassed biology through the clever usage of enzyme molecules to yield pumping. [6][7][8] Such approaches eventually encompassed biology through the clever usage of enzyme molecules to yield pumping.…”

“…[6] This in turn has led to the development of ahost of reaction-based pumping systems featuring different materials and mechanisms. [6][7][8] Such approaches eventually encompassed biology through the clever usage of enzyme molecules to yield pumping. [9] However,t he use of external energy sources has the added benefit of selective initiation and termination without needing to directly contact the system.…”