Chemically Powered Nanomotor as a Delivery Vehicle for Biologically Relevant Payloads

Nanomotors exhibit autonomous self-propulsion using nanolocomotion; the process in which any nanoscale object move forward via an anisotropic force which is usually facilitated by an asymmetric structure. Nanomotors mostly can be used for catalysis, bio-sensing and site specific drug delivery. But the major problem in current micro and nanomotor systems are less biocompatibility, less drug loading capacity and the inability to execute motion at a non-toxic and neutral pH, thus limiting the possibility to use in biological applications. Hence, the synthesis of a nanomotor with optimal conditions for biological applications is examined. In this paper we report, for the first time, gold/palladium coated magnesium nanoparticles contain mesoporous silica nanomotors to produce hydrogen gas to execute nanolocomotion in neutral pH. The aspirin was used as a model drug in this study and the results indicate that the fabricated nanomotor systems are appropriate delivery vehicles for the storage of fuel and cargo. Kinetic model of drug release via nanomotors in simulated body fluids at room temperature agreed well with the Higuchi model with R-2 = 0.989. This design shows high levels of biocompatibility and the capability of storing payloads or fuel as desired.