Design and Characterization of Rotational Multicomponent Catalytic Nanomotors

Multicomponent rotational nanomotors consisting of Pt-coated TiO(2) nanoarms grown upon approximately 2.01-microm-diameter silica microbeads designed by dynamic shadowing growth are presented. When exposed to H(2)O(2), the structures rotate about an axis through the center of the microbead and perpendicular to the TiO(2) nanoarm at a rate of 0.15 Hz per % H(2)O(2) concentration. The rotational frequency increases parabolically when the surface tension of the solution is altered by the addition of sodium dodecyl sulphate; both relationships are explainable by a nanobubble-ejection model.