Issue 29, 2020

Material-dependent performance of fuel-free, light-activated, self-propelling colloids

Abstract

Self-propelling, light-activated colloidal particles can be actuated in water alone. Here we study the effect of adding different amounts of a gold/palladium alloy to titanium dioxide-based, active colloids. We observe a correlation between alloy-thickness and the average speed of the particles, and we discover an intermediate thickness leads to the highest activity for this system. We argue that a non-continuous thin-film of the co-catalyst improves the efficiency of water-splitting at the surface of the particles, and in-turn, the performance of “fuel-free” self-propulsion.

Graphical abstract: Material-dependent performance of fuel-free, light-activated, self-propelling colloids

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
03 Jan 2020
Accepted
02 Mar 2020
First published
03 Mar 2020

Chem. Commun., 2020,56, 4082-4085

Author version available

Material-dependent performance of fuel-free, light-activated, self-propelling colloids

A. Leeth Holterhoff, V. Girgis and J. G. Gibbs, Chem. Commun., 2020, 56, 4082 DOI: 10.1039/D0CC00063A

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