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Liu W, Jing D. Droplet Rolling Transport on Hydrophobic Surfaces Under Rotating Electric Fields: A Molecular Dynamics Study. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:14660-14669. [PMID: 37802133 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Driving droplets by electric fields is usually achieved by controlling their wettability, and realizing a flexible operation requires complex electrode designs. Here, we show by molecular dynamics methods the droplet transport on hydrophobic surfaces in a rolling manner under a rotating electric field, which provides a simpler and promising way to manipulate droplets. The droplet internal velocity field shows the rolling mode. When the contact angle on the solid surface is 144.4°, the droplet can be transported steadily at a high velocity under the rotating electric field (E = 0.5 V nm-1, ω = π/20 ps-1). The droplet center-of-mass velocities and trajectories, deformation degrees, dynamic contact angles, and surface energies were analyzed regarding the electric field strength and rotational angular frequency. Droplet transport with a complex trajectory on a two-dimensional surface is achieved by setting the electric field, which reflects the programmability of the driving method. Nonuniform wettability stripes can assist in controlling droplet trajectories. The droplet transport on the three-dimensional surface is studied, and the critical conditions for the droplet passing through the surface corners and the motion law on the curved surface are obtained. Droplet coalescence has been achieved by surface designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenchuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Dengwei Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
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Wang B, Handschuh-Wang S, Shen J, Zhou X, Guo Z, Liu W, Pumera M, Zhang L. Small-Scale Robotics with Tailored Wettability. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2205732. [PMID: 36113864 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202205732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Small-scale robots (SSRs) have emerged as promising and versatile tools in various biomedical, sensing, decontamination, and manipulation applications, as they are uniquely capable of performing tasks at small length scales. With the miniaturization of robots from the macroscale to millimeter-, micrometer-, and nanometer-scales, the viscous and surface forces, namely adhesive forces and surface tension have become dominant. These forces significantly impact motion efficiency. Surface engineering of robots with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic functionalization presents a brand-new pathway to overcome motion resistance and enhance the ability to target and regulate robots for various tasks. This review focuses on the current progress and future perspectives of SSRs with hydrophilic and hydrophobic modifications (including both tethered and untethered robots). The study emphasizes the distinct advantages of SSRs, such as improved maneuverability and reduced drag forces, and outlines their potential applications. With continued innovation, rational surface engineering is expected to endow SSRs with exceptional mobility and functionality, which can broaden their applications, enhance their penetration depth, reduce surface fouling, and inhibit bacterial adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Wang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Stephan Handschuh-Wang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jie Shen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Spine Surgery, Department of Spine Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518036, China
| | - Xuechang Zhou
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zhiguang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Centre for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Weimin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Martin Pumera
- Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 123, Brno, 61200, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, VSB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 2172/15, Ostrava, 70800, Czech Republic
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin N.T., Hong Kong, 999077, China
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin N.T., Hong Kong, 999077, China
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Cvjetinovic J, Luchkin SY, Statnik ES, Davidovich NA, Somov PA, Salimon AI, Korsunsky AM, Gorin DA. Revealing the static and dynamic nanomechanical properties of diatom frustules—Nature's glass lace. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5518. [PMID: 37015973 PMCID: PMC10073200 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31487-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractDiatoms are single cell microalgae enclosed in silica exoskeletons (frustules) that provide inspiration for advanced hybrid nanostructure designs mimicking multi-scale porosity to achieve outstanding mechanical and optical properties. Interrogating the structure and properties of diatoms down to nanometer scale leads to breakthrough advances reported here in the nanomechanical characterization of Coscinodiscus oculus-iridis diatom pure silica frustules, as well as of air-dried and wet cells with organic content. Static and dynamic mode Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and in-SEM nanoindentation revealed the peculiarities of diatom response with separate contributions from material nanoscale behavior and membrane deformation of the entire valve. Significant differences in the nanomechanical properties of the different frustule layers were observed. Furthermore, the deformation response depends strongly on silica hydration and on the support from the internal organic content. The cyclic loading revealed that the average compliance of the silica frustule is 0.019 m/N and increases with increasing number of cycles. The structure–mechanical properties relationship has a direct impact on the vibrational properties of the frustule as a complex micrometer-sized mechanical system. Lessons from Nature’s nanostructuring of diatoms open up pathways to new generations of nano- and microdevices for electronic, electromechanical, photonic, liquid, energy storage, and other applications.
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Huang T, Ibarlucea B, Caspari A, Synytska A, Cuniberti G, de Graaf J, Baraban L. Impact of surface charge on the motion of light-activated Janus micromotors. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2021; 44:39. [PMID: 33755813 PMCID: PMC7987638 DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-021-00008-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Control over micromotors' motion is of high relevance for lab-on-a-chip and biomedical engineering, wherein such particles encounter complex microenvironments. Here, we introduce an efficient way to influence Janus micromotors' direction of motion and speed by modifying their surface properties and those of their immediate surroundings. We fabricated light-responsive Janus micromotors with positive and negative surface charge, both driven by ionic self-diffusiophoresis. These were used to observe direction-of-motion reversal in proximity to glass substrates for which we varied the surface charge. Quantitative analysis allowed us to extract the dependence of the particle velocity on the surface charge density of the substrate. This constitutes the first quantitative demonstration of the substrate's surface charge on the motility of the light-activated diffusiophoretic motors in water. We provide qualitative understanding of these observations in terms of osmotic flow along the substrate generated through the ions released by the propulsion mechanism. Our results constitute a crucial step in moving toward practical application of self-phoretic artificial micromotors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Huang
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials and Institute for Materials Science, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328, Dresden, Germany
| | - Bergoi Ibarlucea
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials and Institute for Materials Science, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Anja Caspari
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alla Synytska
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Technische Universität, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Gianaurelio Cuniberti
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials and Institute for Materials Science, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Joost de Graaf
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Center for Extreme Matter and Emergent Phenomena, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Larysa Baraban
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328, Dresden, Germany.
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Wang B, Kostarelos K, Nelson BJ, Zhang L. Trends in Micro-/Nanorobotics: Materials Development, Actuation, Localization, and System Integration for Biomedical Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2002047. [PMID: 33617105 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202002047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Micro-/nanorobots (m-bots) have attracted significant interest due to their suitability for applications in biomedical engineering and environmental remediation. Particularly, their applications in in vivo diagnosis and intervention have been the focus of extensive research in recent years with various clinical imaging techniques being applied for localization and tracking. The successful integration of well-designed m-bots with surface functionalization, remote actuation systems, and imaging techniques becomes the crucial step toward biomedical applications, especially for the in vivo uses. This review thus addresses four different aspects of biomedical m-bots: design/fabrication, functionalization, actuation, and localization. The biomedical applications of the m-bots in diagnosis, sensing, microsurgery, targeted drug/cell delivery, thrombus ablation, and wound healing are reviewed from these viewpoints. The developed biomedical m-bot systems are comprehensively compared and evaluated based on their characteristics. The current challenges and the directions of future research in this field are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Wang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin N.T., Hong Kong, China
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Kostas Kostarelos
- Nanomedicine Lab, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, The University of Manchester, AV Hill Building, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), Campus UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bradley J Nelson
- Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems (IRIS), ETH Zurich, Tannenstrasse 3, Zurich, CH-8092, Switzerland
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin N.T., Hong Kong, China
- CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin N.T., Hong Kong, China
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Guo J, Liang Z, Huang Y, Kim K, Vandeventer P, Fan D. Acceleration of Biomolecule Enrichment and Detection with Rotationally Motorized Opto-Plasmonic Microsensors and the Working Mechanism. ACS NANO 2020; 14:15204-15215. [PMID: 33095572 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c05429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Vigorous research efforts have advanced the state-of-the-art nanosensors with ultrahigh sensitivity for bioanalysis. However, a dilemmatic challenge remains: it is extremely difficult to obtain nanosensors that are both sensitive and high-speed for the detection of low-concentration molecules in aqueous samples. Herein, we report how the controlled mechanical rotation (or rotary motorization) of designed opto-plasmonic microsensors can substantially and robustly accelerate the enrichment and detection speed of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) with retained high sensitivity. At least 4-fold augmentation of the capture speed of DNA molecules is obtained from a microsensor rotating at 1200 rpm. Theoretical analysis and modeling shed light on the underlying working mechanism, governed by the molecule-motor-flow interaction as well as its application range and limitation. This work provides a device scheme that alleviates the dilemmatic challenge in biomolecule sensing and offers the understanding of the complex interactions of molecules and moving microobjects in suspension. The results may assist the rational design of efficient microrobotic systems for the capture, translocation, sensing, and release of biocargoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhe Guo
- Texas Materials Institute and Materials Science and Engineering Program, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Zexi Liang
- Texas Materials Institute and Materials Science and Engineering Program, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Yun Huang
- Texas Materials Institute and Materials Science and Engineering Program, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Kwanoh Kim
- Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Peter Vandeventer
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia 22060, United States
| | - Donglei Fan
- Texas Materials Institute and Materials Science and Engineering Program, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
- Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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Tu Y, Peng F, White PB, Wilson DA. Redox-Sensitive Stomatocyte Nanomotors: Destruction and Drug Release in the Presence of Glutathione. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017; 56:7620-7624. [PMID: 28489266 PMCID: PMC5488187 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201703276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The development of artificial nanomotor systems that are stimuli-responsive is still posing many challenges. Herein, we demonstrate the self-assembly of a redox-responsive stomatocyte nanomotor system, which can be used for triggered drug release under biological reducing conditions. The redox sensitivity was introduced by incorporating a disulfide bridge between the hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) block and the hydrophobic polystyrene block. When incubated with the endogenous reducing agent glutathione at a concentration comparable to that within cells, the external PEG shells of these stimuli-responsive nanomotors are cleaved. The specific bowl-shaped stomatocytes aggregate after the treatment with glutathione, leading to the loss of motion and triggered drug release. These novel redox-responsive nanomotors can not only be used for remote transport but also for drug delivery, which is promising for future biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingfeng Tu
- Institute for Molecules and MaterialsRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 1356525 AJNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Fei Peng
- Institute for Molecules and MaterialsRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 1356525 AJNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Paul B. White
- Institute for Molecules and MaterialsRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 1356525 AJNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Daniela A. Wilson
- Institute for Molecules and MaterialsRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 1356525 AJNijmegenThe Netherlands
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Tu Y, Peng F, White PB, Wilson DA. Redox-Sensitive Stomatocyte Nanomotors: Destruction and Drug Release in the Presence of Glutathione. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201703276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yingfeng Tu
- Institute for Molecules and Materials; Radboud University; Heyendaalseweg 135 6525 AJ Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Fei Peng
- Institute for Molecules and Materials; Radboud University; Heyendaalseweg 135 6525 AJ Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Paul B. White
- Institute for Molecules and Materials; Radboud University; Heyendaalseweg 135 6525 AJ Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Daniela A. Wilson
- Institute for Molecules and Materials; Radboud University; Heyendaalseweg 135 6525 AJ Nijmegen The Netherlands
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