Issue 22, 2021

Surface polymerization induced locomotion

Abstract

Nano- and micromotors are self-navigating particles that gain locomotion using fuel from the environment or external power sources to outperform Brownian motion. Herein, motors that make use of surface polymerization of hydroxyethylmethylacrylate to gain locomotion are reported, synthetically mimicking microorganisms’ way of propulsion. These motors have enhanced Brownian motion with effective diffusion coefficients up to ∼0.5 μm2 s−1 when mesoporous Janus particles are used. Finally, indication of swarming is observed when high numbers of motors homogenously coated with atom-transfer radical polymerization initiators are used, while high-density Janus motors lost their ability to exhibit enhanced Brownian motion. This report illustrates an alternative route to self-propelled particles, employing a polymerization process that has the potential to be applied for various purposes benefiting from the tool box of modern polymer chemistry.

Graphical abstract: Surface polymerization induced locomotion

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
06 Mar 2021
Accepted
16 May 2021
First published
17 May 2021

Nanoscale, 2021,13, 10035-10043

Surface polymerization induced locomotion

M. A. Ramos-Docampo, E. Brodszkij, M. Ceccato, M. Foss, M. Folkjær, N. Lock and B. Städler, Nanoscale, 2021, 13, 10035 DOI: 10.1039/D1NR01465J

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