Photoactive and Intrinsically Fuel Sensing Metal-Organic Framework Motors for Tailoring Collective Behaviors of Active-Passive Colloids

Microorganisms display nonequilibrium predator-prey behaviors, such as chasing-escaping and schooling via chemotactic interactions. Even though artificial systems have revealed such biomimetic behaviors, switching between them by control over chemotactic interactions is rare. Here, a spindle-like iron-based metal-organic framework (MOF) colloidal motor which self-propels in glucose and H2O2, triggered by UV light is reported. These motors display intrinsic UV light-triggered fuel-dependent chemotactic interactions, which are used to tailor the collective dynamics of active-passive colloidal mixtures. In particular, the mixtures of active MOF motors with passive colloids exhibit distinctive chasing-escaping or schooling behaviors, depending on glucose or hydrogen peroxide being used as the fuel. The transition in the collective behaviors is attributed to an alteration in the sign of ionic diffusiophoretic interactions, resulting from a change in the ionic clouds produced. This study offers a new strategy on tuning the communication between active and passive colloids, which holds substantial potentials for fundamental research in active matter and practical applications in cargo delivery, chemical sensing, and particle segregation.

Automated summary

A spindle-like iron-based metal-organic framework (MOF) colloidal motor is reported, which self-propels in glucose and H2O2 triggered by UV light. The motor exhibits distinctive chasing-escaping or schooling behaviors, depending on the fuel used.