High-performance Marangoni hydrogel rotors with asymmetric porosity and drag reduction profile

Miniaturized rotors based on Marangoni effect have attracted great attentions due to their promising applications in propulsion and power generation. Despite intensive studies, the development of Marangoni rotors with high rotation output and fuel economy remains challenging. To address this challenge, we introduce an asymmetric porosity strategy to fabricate Marangoni rotor composed of thermoresponsive hydrogel and low surface tension anesthetic metabolite. Combining enhanced Marangoni propulsion of asymmetric porosity with drag reduction of well-designed profile, our rotor precedes previous studies in rotation output (similar to 15 times) and fuel economy (similar to 34% higher). Utilizing thermoresponsive hydrogel, the rotor realizes rapid refueling within 33 s. Moreover, iron-powder dopant further imparts the rotors with individual-specific locomotion in group under magnetic stimuli. Significantly, diverse functionalities including kinetic energy transmission, mini-generator and environmental remediation are demonstrated, which open new perspectives for designing miniaturized rotating machineries and inspire researchers in robotics, energy, and environment.

Automated summary

Miniaturized rotors based on Marangoni effect have attracted great attentions for their promising applications in propulsion and power generation. To address the challenge of achieving high rotation output and fuel economy, an asymmetric porosity strategy is introduced to fabricate a Marangoni rotor composed of thermoresponsive hydrogel and low surface tension anesthetic metabolite. The rotor exceeds previous studies in rotation output (around 15 times) and fuel economy (around 34% higher) by combining enhanced Marangoni propulsion with drag reduction. Additionally, the rotor demonstrates diverse functionalities including kinetic energy transmission, mini-generator, and environmental remediation, inspiring new perspectives in designing miniaturized rotating machineries.