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June 14, 2010Advanced Functional Materials445 citationsOpen Access

Magnetic Control of Tubular Catalytic Microbots for the Transport, Assembly, and Delivery of Micro‐objects

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ASAlexander A. SolovevSSSamuel SánchezMPMartin Pumera

Key Points

  • To develop and evaluate magnetically steered catalytic microtube motors capable of loading, transporting, and delivering microscale objects in fluid environments.
  • Fabricated Ti/Fe/Pt rolled-up microtubes powered by platinum-catalyzed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into oxygen microbubbles.
  • Optimized fuel and surfactant concentrations while testing directional control using external magnetic fields acting on the embedded iron film.
  • Assessed cargo-carrying capabilities and propulsion forces using 5 µm polystyrene microparticles and thin metallic nanoplates.
  • Microbots achieved a maximum speed of 275 µm s⁻¹ (5.5 body lengths per second) in 15% hydrogen peroxide fuel.
  • Engines exerted approximately 3.77 pN of force during single-particle transport and demonstrated capacity to push up to 60 microparticles simultaneously.
  • Embedded iron thin films permitted complete directional steering and targeted cargo delivery via external magnetic fields.

Abstract

Abstract Recently a significant amount of attention has been paid towards the development of man‐made synthetic catalytic micro‐ and nanomotors that can mimic biological counterparts in terms of propulsion power, motion control, and speed. However, only a few applications of such self‐propelled vehicles have been described. Here the magnetic control of self‐propelled catalytic Ti/Fe/Pt rolled‐up microtubes (microbots) that can be used to perform various tasks such as the selective loading, transportation, and delivery of microscale objects in a fluid is shown; for instance, it is demonstrated for polystyrene particles and thin metallic films (“nanoplates”). Microbots self‐propel by ejecting microbubbles via a platinum catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water. The fuel and surfactant concentrations are optimized obtaining a maximum speed of 275 µm s −1 (5.5 body lengths per second) at 15% of peroxide fuel. The microbots exert a force of around 3.77 pN when transporting a single 5 µm diameter particle; evidencing a high propulsion power that allows for the transport of up to 60 microparticles. By the introduction of an Fe thin film into the rolled‐up microtubes, their motion can be fully controlled by an external magnetic field.

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Cite This Study

Solovev et al. (2010) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69fcab90312cc879b3dd9e90https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.200902376
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