Multifunctional Chiral Chemically‐Powered Micropropellers for Cargo Transport and Manipulation

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Vol. 20; no. 11; pp. e2304773 - n/a
• Main Authors: McGovern, Ashlee D., Huang, Mu‐Jie, Wang, Jiyuan, Kapral, Raymond, Aranson, Igor S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.03.2024
• Subjects: cargo manipulation; Cargo transportation; Chemical reduction; Chirality; computer modeling; Design optimization; Design parameters; Hydrogen peroxide; Microparticles; microrobotics; Molecular dynamics; Propellers; self‐propulsion; Shape optimization; Three dimensional printing; self-propulsion; computer modeling; chirality; microrobotics; cargo manipulation
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304773

Practical applications of synthetic self‐propelled nano and microparticles for microrobotics, targeted drug delivery, and manipulation at the nanoscale are rapidly expanding. However, fabrication limitations often hinder progress, resulting in relatively simple shapes and limited functionality. Here, taking advantage of 3D nanoscale printing, chiral micropropellers powered by the hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction are fabricated. Due to their chirality, the propellers exhibit multifunctional behavior controlled by an applied magnetic field: spinning in place (loitering), directed migration in the prescribed direction, capture, and transport of polymer cargo particles. Design parameters of the propellers are optimized by computation modeling based on mesoscale molecular dynamics. It is predicted by computer simulations, and confirmed experimentally, that clockwise rotating propellers attract each other and counterclockwise repel. These results shed light on how chirality and shape optimization enhance the functionality of synthetic autonomous micromachines. Practical applications of synthetic self‐propelled nano and microparticles for microrobotics, targeted drug delivery, and manipulation at the nanoscale are rapidly expanding. This work demonstrates new functionalities exhibited by 3D‐printed chiral micropropellers powered by the hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction: spinning in place, directed migration in the prescribed direction, and capture, and transport of polymer cargo particles.