Journal
ADVANCED MATERIALS
Volume 33, Issue 13, Pages -Publisher
WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202006177
Keywords
cargo loading; light‐ driven microswimmers; micromotors; spectral response; tunable speed
Categories
Funding
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology [CE140100036]
- National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Principal Research Fellowship [GNT1135806]
- Australian Government [nr3]
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This study presents metal-phenolic particle microswimmers capable of autonomously sensing and swimming toward an external light source, with speed regulated by illumination wavelength and intensity. These microswimmers can travel macroscopic distances and remain illuminated for hours without degradation of motility. The programmable light navigation, tunable particle size, and versatility of cargo loading demonstrate the potential of these metal-phenolic particle microswimmers.
Light-driven directional motion is common in nature but remains a challenge for synthetic microparticles, particularly regarding collective motion on a macroscopic scale. Successfully engineering microparticles with light-driven collective motion could lead to breakthroughs in drug delivery, contaminant sensing, environmental remediation, and artificial life. Herein, metal-phenolic particle microswimmers capable of autonomously sensing and swimming toward an external light source are reported, with the speed regulated by the wavelength and intensity of illumination. These microswimmers can travel macroscopic distances (centimeters) and can remain illuminated for hours without degradation of motility. Experimental and theoretical analyses demonstrate that motion is generated through chemical transformations of the organic component of the metal-phenolic complex. Furthermore, cargos with specific spectral absorption profiles can be loaded into the particles and endow the particle microswimmers with activated motion corresponding to these spectral characteristics. The programmable nature of the light navigation, tunable size of the particles, and versatility of cargo loading demonstrate the versatility of these metal-phenolic particle microswimmers.
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