Engineering tiny nano-bots that actively and autonomously act for desired applications is envisioned to be part of future nanotechnology. Mimicking biomotors, scientists use catalytic reaction to power artificial nano-devices and nano-machines. Self-powered micro-nano-bots can be fabricated from multiple materials, shapes and by various methods, and have demonstrated several proof-of-concept applications in robotics, Lab-chip biosensing, nanomedicine, and environmental field [1].
We fabricate nano-bots from mesoporous silica nanoparticles, microcapsules, electrodeposited microtubes and rolled-up thin films into microtubular jets. Very recently, we have found that hybrid micro-bio-bots combine the best from the two worlds, biology and nanomaterials providing very promising bio-related applications [2].
What can nano-microbots do for us? Here, I will present our recent developments in this fascinating field focusing on two applications, i.e. towards nanomedicine [2,3,4] and water remediation[5,6].
Keywords: nanomotors, nanotechnology, drug delivery, active matter, self-propulsion, bots.
References
[1] S. Sanchez, Ll. Soler and J. Katuri. Angew.Chem.Int.Edit. 54,1414-1444 (2015)
[2] M. M. Stanton et al. Adv. Mat. Interf (2015 )DOI: 10.1002/admi.201500505
[3] X. Ma, K. Hahn and S. Sanchez. J. Am. Chem.Soc. 137 (15), 4976–4979 (2015); X. Ma et al. ACS Nano 10 (3), 3597-3605 (2016); X. Ma et al. NanoLett. 15 (10), 7043-7050 (2015)
[4] S. Sanchez et al, Chem. Commun., 47, 698. (2011)
[5] D. Vilela et al. Nano Letters 16 (4), 2860-2866 (2016)
[6] Soler, Ll. et al., ACS Nano, 7, 9611 (2013); Gao, W., Wang, J., ACS Nano, 8, 3170 (2014); Soler, L. Sanchez, S. Nanoscale, 6, 7175 (2014); J. Parma et al. Adv. Funct. Mat. (2016) DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201600381
Nanotechnology for environment and energy , Targeted drug delivery and nanocarriers
