Article
Mechanics
Evgeny S. Asmolov, Tatiana Nizkaya, Olga Vinogradova
Summary: Catalytic Janus swimmers exhibit diffusiophoretic motion by generating gradients of concentrations and electric potential spontaneously. This study considers the experimentally relevant scenario of particles releasing both types of ions and derives a simple expression for particle velocity in the limit of a thin electrostatic diffuse layer. The approximate expression remains highly accurate even in the presence of large ion fluxes and surface potentials, and it offers explanations for several intriguing phenomena, such as the reversal of particle motion in response to variations in the salt concentration or the self-diffusiophoresis of uncharged particles.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gerardo Salinas, Kostiantyn Tieriekhov, Patrick Garrigue, Neso Sojic, Laurent Bouffier, Alexander Kuhn
Summary: A new mechanism for autonomous swimmers has been proposed, utilizing the synergy between ion flux and an external magnetic field to increase swimmer speed significantly; additionally, the magnetic field orientation adjustment can control the trajectory of the swimmer, resulting in predictable motion direction.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Martina Ussia, Martin Pumera
Summary: Inspired by the desire to imitate nature, micro- and nanorobots have gained increasing interest. The use of organic components, such as polymers, can address the biocompatibility and biodegradability issues of inorganic-based microrobots. Additionally, combining self-powered micro- and nanorobots with the properties of macromolecules is an important area of research.
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Haocheng Wang, Chenlu Liu, Xiaopeng Yang, Fengtong Ji, Wenping Song, Guangyu Zhang, Lin Wang, Yanhe Zhu, Shimin Yu, Weiwei Zhang, Tianlong Li
Summary: The study proposes a strategy using oriented magnetized Janus spheres to assemble microdimer robots, achieving performance of multiple tasks through multimode transformation and locomotion. The microdimer robot can provide versatile motion modes to address environmental variations or multitasking requirements.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Serena Arnaboldi, Gerardo Salinas, Aleksandar Karajic, Patrick Garrigue, Tiziana Benincori, Giorgia Bonetti, Roberto Cirilli, Sabrina Bichon, Sebastien Gounel, Nicolas Mano, Alexander Kuhn
Summary: One key method for designing bioinspired machines is transferring concepts from nature to man-made structures by integrating biomolecules into artificial mechanical systems, allowing the conversion of molecular information into macroscopic action. Hybrid bioelectrochemical swimmers can convert chiral information into enantiospecific macroscopic trajectories, with potential biomedical applications and food quality testing.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mengli Liu, Liang Chen, Zaiwang Zhao, Minchao Liu, Tiancong Zhao, Yuzhu Ma, Qiaoyu Zhou, Yasseen S. Ibrahim, Ahmed A. Elzatahry, Xiaomin Li, Dongyuan Zhao
Summary: In this study, the application of near-infrared optical brakes in mesoporous nanomotors was successfully achieved, enabling remote speed control of enzyme-based nanomotors. This innovative approach offers great potential for designing smart active drug delivery systems based on nanomotors.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Miguel A. Ramos-Docampo, Edit Brodszkij, Marcel Ceccato, Morten Foss, Mads Folkjaer, Nina Lock, Brigitte Stadler
Summary: This study introduces motors that utilize surface polymerization to achieve locomotion, mimicking the propulsion mechanism of microorganisms. By using mesoporous Janus particles, these motors exhibit enhanced Brownian motion and have the potential for various applications. Swarming behavior is observed in motors coated with atom-transfer radical polymerization initiators, while high-density Janus motors lose their ability to enhance Brownian motion.
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Liuzheng Zheng, Nathan Hart, Yong Zeng
Summary: The field of micro-/nanorobotics has made significant progress and attracted interest from various research communities. Micro-/nanoscale robots offer unique advantages in chemical and biological sensing, making them a promising platform for future developments. This review provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art in micro-/nanorobotics, discusses the challenges faced, and presents the potential future applications of soft robotics in chemical and biological sensing.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jiaxin Li, Xiangxiang Zhai, Zili Yang, Ziye Pei, Ming Luo, Jianguo Guan
Summary: A simple and scalable colloidal chemistry synthesis method has been developed to fabricate bubble-propelled micro-/nanomotors (MNMs) of variable sizes by regulating the surface microstructure of partially coated Pt shells. The rough surface of the partially coated Pt shells containing many nano-pits greatly reduces the energy for bubble nucleation and can act as active sites for the pinning and growth of bubbles. The MNMs can demonstrate bubble propulsion even when the size is reduced to 200 nm.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Manyi Yang, Xia Guo, Fangzhi Mou, Jianguo Guan
Summary: This review provides an overview of fluorescent micro/nanorobots (MNRs) and highlights their potential applications in biomedicine. The review focuses on the fluorescent mechanisms, materials, and design strategies for integrating MNRs with fluorescence. Moreover, the main challenges and future directions for fluorescent MNRs are summarized.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiang-Xing Chen, Renbo Yuan, Rufei Cui, Liyan Qiao
Summary: The study investigates the dynamics of chemically powered sphere dimers at the micro- and nano-scales in a quasi-two-dimensional geometry. It is found that the asymmetric concentration gradients generated by a chemical reaction on the catalytic surface lead to self-propulsion of the dimers, forming anti-parallel aligned doublets that exhibit the same rotation direction and lose translational motion. The chirality of the dimers plays a crucial role in the formation of these doublets, displaying new collective dynamics and structures when both translational and rotational self-propulsion occur simultaneously.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shidong Song, Antoni Llopis-Lorente, Alexander F. Mason, Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen, Jan C. M. van Hest
Summary: This study showcases a tunable experimental platform to gain insight into the dynamics of active particles in environments with restricted 3D topology. The results indicate that confinement leads to anomalous diffusion and decreased motility, which is predominantly governed by the theoretically predicted hydrodynamic effect within this platform.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Hidde D. Vuijk, Sophie Klempahn, Holger Merlitz, Jens-Uwe Sommer, Abhinav Sharma
Summary: The study focuses on the behavior of an active colloidal dimer consisting of two active Brownian particles in an activity gradient, showing chemotactic and antichemotactic behavior depending on the relative orientation of the two particles. The research has implications for designing autonomous active colloidal structures that adjust their motion based on local activity gradients.
Article
Biophysics
Saurabh Shivalkar, Pallabi Chowdhary, Tayyaba Afshan, Shrutika Chaudhary, Anwesha Roy, Sintu Kumar Samanta, Amaresh Kumar Sahoo
Summary: Biohybrid micro/nanobots are biocompatible and biodegradable structures that can autonomously move and perform tasks in hard-to-reach areas. They have the potential to revolutionize biomedical fields such as disease diagnosis, therapeutics, imaging, and surgery. The propulsion mechanism of these micro/nanobots can be fueled by enzymes, making it an effective and easy method.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xianglong Lyu, Jingyuan Chen, Jiayu Liu, Yixin Peng, Shifang Duan, Xing Ma, Wei Wang
Summary: Understanding and controlling the swimming direction of synthetic nano- and micromotors is of great importance. By studying the effects of platinum oxides on the movement of micromotors, a new method for controlling the swimming direction of these motors has been discovered.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yixin Peng, Pengzhao Xu, Shifang Duan, Jiayu Liu, Jeffrey Lawrence Moran, Wei Wang
Summary: This article proposes and experimentally confirms the rule that the speeds of self-diffusiophoretic colloidal motors scale inversely to their population density, while self-electrophoretic motors do not follow this rule. These rules are simple, powerful, and applicable to various colloidal motors.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yang Wang, Jun Teng, Qi Huang, Wei Wang, Zhenyang Ren
Summary: This study investigates the swelling characteristics of compacted bentonite during hydration through suction-controlled swelling deformation tests. Equations are proposed to describe the swelling-collapse characteristics of the specimen. The findings are of great importance for the safety assessment of high-level radioactive waste disposal repositories.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaoxia Liu, Xiang Sun, Yixin Peng, Yong Wang, Dandan Xu, Wenjun Chen, Wei Wang, Xiaohui Yan, Xing Ma
Summary: This study reports a self-propelled micromotor made of metal organic frameworks (MOF), which possesses the abilities of self-propulsion and antibacterial therapy. In water, the spontaneous degradation of the MOF micromotors releases ions that act as fuel for propulsion through ionic diffusionphoresis, with high energy conversion efficiency. The metal cations released from the MOF micromotors also function as antibacterial agents. This work provides guidance for constructing functional micro/nanomotors by utilizing the intrinsic properties of the motor's own materials.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yi Wei, Chen Li, Yawen Li, Zhishan Luo, Xiaoyu Wu, Yulian Liu, Liming Zhang, Xin He, Wei Wang, Zewei Quan
Summary: A new enantiomeric pair of 0D hybrid lead-tin bromides with strong CPL and high photoluminescence quantum yield is reported. The CPL activities originate from the induced structural chirality by the organic ligands, and the CPL emissions have tunable colors.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Liming Zhang, Zhishan Luo, Wei Wang, Yulian Liu, Xin He, Zewei Quan
Summary: In this study, two types of 0D hybrid tin bromides were reported, based on the hydrogen bonding interactions between organic cations and SnBr6 tetra-anions. Compared to the weak hydrogen bonding in (BMe)2SnBr6, (MeH)2SnBr6 exhibited stronger hydrogen bonding, resulting in excitation-dependent emissions.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Donghao Cui, Xianglong Lyu, Shifang Duan, Yixin Peng, Wei Wang
Summary: This article reports on nanorod motors made of gold and rhodium oxide that can move in UV and visible light. These motors can also form dynamic and reversible clusters under light.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wei Wang, Jibao Lu, Rong Sun
Summary: This study investigates the impact of water content and side chains on ion diffusion in COF, revealing that the length of the side chain has little effect on ion diffusion. Instead, ion diffusion is mainly influenced by the strength of association between cations and anions. Moving the QA groups from the side chain to the aromatic ring significantly reduces ion diffusion, while removing a fraction of tethers decreases ion diffusion.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xianglong Lyu, Jingyuan Chen, Ruitong Zhu, Jiayu Liu, Lingshan Fu, Jeffrey Lawrence Moran, Wei Wang
Summary: Microrotors are microscopic objects that convert energy stored in the environment into spontaneous rotation. They have various applications, including drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery, fluid mixing, and sensing. They are also useful as model systems to study collective behaviors among rotating micro-objects.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Liying Wang, Peiting Guo, Dongdong Jin, Yixin Peng, Xiang Sun, Yuduo Chen, Xiaoxia Liu, Wenjun Chen, Wei Wang, Xiaohui Yan, Xing Ma
Summary: There are various transport proteins on cell membranes that can actively move cargos across biological membranes, playing a crucial role in cell activities. Here, bionic micropumps for active transmembrane transportation of molecular cargos across living cells are developed using enzyme-powered microrobotic jets. By immobilizing urease onto the microtube's surface, the microjet can catalyze urea decomposition and generate microfluidic flow for self-propulsion. This work not only extends the applications of micro/nanomachines in biomedical fields but also provides a promising platform for future cell biology research.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qiang Gao, Zhou Yang, Ruitong Zhu, Jinping Wang, Pengzhao Xu, Jiayu Liu, Xiaowen Chen, Zuyao Yan, Yixin Peng, Yanping Wang, Hairong Zheng, Feiyan Cai, Wei Wang
Summary: The researchers have discovered that ultrasound of around 100 kHz can spin spherical micromotors in specific directions and at varying speeds, as well as making them move in circular trajectories. This spinning is believed to be caused by circular microstreaming flows that occur when a solid microsphere vibrates in ultrasound. These flows can also assist in releasing cargos from micromotors. This finding shows that ultrasound can be used to steer microrobots in complex environments and manipulate microorganisms and cells.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xi Chen, Xiaowen Chen, Mohamed Elsayed, Harrison Edwards, Jiayu Liu, Yixin Peng, H. P. Zhang, Shuailong Zhang, Wei Wang, Aaron R. Wheeler
Summary: Researchers have developed an optoelectronic strategy to control the motion of micromotors using programmable light patterns. By illuminating hydrogenated amorphous silicon, local electric field maxima are generated at the edge of the light pattern, attracting micromotors. This method allows for precise control of micromotors in customized paths and through complex microstructures, as well as enabling multiple motion modes and parallel control of multiple micromotors.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiang Sun, Mengshi Wei, Xin Pang, Lin Lin, Qiang Gao, Lichao Su, Ting Liu, Youliang Yao, Jibin Song, Wei Wang, Xiaohui Yan
Summary: This study proposes a mechanism to enhance the sonodynamic efficacy by motion-induced hydrodynamic effects, demonstrating the use of a porphyrin-decorated gold nanomotor to produce reactive oxygen species for bacterial inactivation while performing multimodal motion through actuation using low-frequency ultrasound.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaowen Chen, Xi Chen, Yixin Peng, Lailai Zhu, Wei Wang
Summary: Controlled colloidal levitation has various applications, and recent studies have shown that polymer microspheres can be levitated in AC electric fields. This phenomenon has been attributed to electrohydrodynamic flows, asymmetric electric fields, and electrodiffusiophoresis. In this study, we propose an alternative mechanism based on dielectrophoresis, where a spatially inhomogeneous electric field gradient is created by electrode polarization. Numerical models support this mechanism and demonstrate that AC colloidal levitation can be utilized to control the movement of synthetic microswimmers. This research enhances our understanding of colloidal particle dynamics near electrodes and opens up possibilities for using AC levitation to manipulate colloidal particles.
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Huisi Wu, Zebin Zhao, Jiafu Zhong, Wei Wang, Zhenkun Wen, Jing Qin
Summary: This article presents a lightweight context-aware network, PolypSeg+, for automatic polyp segmentation from colonoscopy videos. By incorporating adaptive scale context, efficient global context, and lightweight feature pyramid fusion modules, PolypSeg+ achieves better segmentation accuracy in real-time performance compared to state-of-the-art networks.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON CYBERNETICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Liming Zhang, Zhishan Luo, Yi Wei, Wei Wang, Yulian Liu, Chen Li, Xin He, Zewei Quan
Summary: In this study, a novel type of thermal stable 0D hybrid metal halide with broad yellow emission and near-unity PL quantum yield is reported.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
