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Gauri HM, Patel R, Lombardo NS, Bevan MA, Bharti B. Field-Directed Motion, Cargo Capture, and Closed-Loop Controlled Navigation of Microellipsoids. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2403007. [PMID: 39126239 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202403007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Microrobots have the potential for diverse applications, including targeted drug delivery and minimally invasive surgery. Despite advancements in microrobot design and actuation strategies, achieving precise control over their motion remains challenging due to the dominance of viscous drag, system disturbances, physicochemical heterogeneities, and stochastic Brownian forces. Here, a precise control over the interfacial motion of model microellipsoids is demonstrated using time-varying rotating magnetic fields. The impacts of microellipsoid aspect ratio, field characteristics, and magnetic properties of the medium and the particle on the motion are investigated. The role of mobile micro-vortices generated is highlighted by rotating microellipsoids in capturing, transporting, and releasing cargo objects. Furthermore, an approach is presented for controlled navigation through mazes based on real-time particle and obstacle sensing, path planning, and magnetic field actuation without human intervention. The study introduces a mechanism of directing motion of microparticles using rotating magnetic fields, and a control scheme for precise navigation and delivery of micron-sized cargo using simple microellipsoids as microbots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir M Gauri
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Ruchi Patel
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Nicholas S Lombardo
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Michael A Bevan
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Bhuvnesh Bharti
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
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2
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Chan CW, Yang Z, Gan Z, Zhang R. Interplay of chemotactic force, Péclet number, and dimensionality dictates the dynamics of auto-chemotactic chiral active droplets. J Chem Phys 2024; 161:014904. [PMID: 38953449 DOI: 10.1063/5.0207355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
In living and synthetic active matter systems, the constituents can self-propel and interact with each other and with the environment through various physicochemical mechanisms. Among these mechanisms, chemotactic and auto-chemotactic effects are widely observed. The impact of (auto-)chemotactic effects on achiral active matter has been a recent research focus. However, the influence of these effects on chiral active matter remains elusive. Here, we develop a Brownian dynamics model coupled with a diffusion equation to examine the dynamics of auto-chemotactic chiral active droplets in both quasi-two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) systems. By quantifying the droplet trajectory as a function of the dimensionless Péclet number and chemotactic strength, our simulations well reproduce the curling and helical trajectories of nematic droplets in a surfactant-rich solution reported by Krüger et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 048003 (2016)]. The modeled curling trajectory in 2D exhibits an emergent chirality, also consistent with the experiment. We further show that the geometry of the chiral droplet trajectories, characterized by the pitch and diameter, can be used to infer the velocities of the droplet. Interestingly, we find that, unlike the achiral case, the velocities of chiral active droplets show dimensionality dependence: its mean instantaneous velocity is higher in 3D than in 2D, whereas its mean migration velocity is lower in 3D than in 2D. Taken together, our particle-based simulations provide new insights into the dynamics of auto-chemotactic chiral active droplets, reveal the effects of dimensionality, and pave the way toward their applications, such as drug delivery, sensors, and micro-reactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung Wing Chan
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
- Thrust of Advanced Materials, and Guangzhou Municipal Key Laboratory of Materials Informatics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangdong, China
| | - Zheng Yang
- Thrust of Advanced Materials, and Guangzhou Municipal Key Laboratory of Materials Informatics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangdong, China
- Interdisciplinary Programs Office, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Zecheng Gan
- Thrust of Advanced Materials, and Guangzhou Municipal Key Laboratory of Materials Informatics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangdong, China
- Department of Mathematics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
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3
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Boymelgreen A, Kunti G, García-Sánchez P, Yossifon G. The influence of frequency and gravity on the orientation of active metallo-dielectric Janus particles translating under a uniform applied alternating-current electric field. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:4143-4151. [PMID: 38738604 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01640d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Theoretical and numerical models of active Janus particles commonly assume that the metallo-dielectric interface is parallel to the driving applied electric field. However, our experimental observations indicate that the equilibrium angle of orientation of electrokinetically driven Janus particles varies as a function of the frequency and voltage of the applied electric field. Here, we quantify the variation of the orientation with respect to the electric field and demonstrate that the equilibrium position represents the interplay between gravitational, electrostatic and electrohydrodynamic torques. The latter two categories are functions of the applied field (frequency, voltage) as well as the height of the particle above the substrate. Maximum departure from the alignment with the electric field occurs at low frequencies characteristic of induced-charge electrophoresis and at low voltages where gravity dominates the electrostatic and electrohydrodynamic torques. The departure of the interface from alignment with the electric field is shown to decrease particle mobility through comparison of freely suspended Janus particles subject only to electrical forcing and magnetized Janus particles in which magnetic torque is used to align the interface with the electric field. Consideration of the role of gravitational torque and particle-wall interactions could account for some discrepancies between theory, numerics and experiment in active matter systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Boymelgreen
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, 33174, USA.
| | - Golak Kunti
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Pablo García-Sánchez
- Departamento de Electrónica y Electromagnetismo, Facultad de Física, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Reina Mercedes, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Gilad Yossifon
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 6997801, Israel
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4
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Mu Y, Duan W, Dai Y, Sullivan PA, Deravi LF, Wang Y, Lee D. Colloidal synthesis of metallodielectric Janus matchsticks. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:5534-5537. [PMID: 38695749 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00488d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
We present a gram-scale synthesis of metallodielectric Janus matchsticks, which feature a gold-coated silica sphere and a silica rod. SiO2 Janus matchsticks are synthesized in one batch by growing amine-functionalized SiO2 spheres at the end of SiO2 rods. Gold deposition on the spheres produces Au-SiO2 Janus matchsticks with an aspect ratio controlled by the rod length. The metallodielectric Janus matchsticks, produced by scalable colloidal synthesis, hold great potential as functional colloidal materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijiang Mu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA.
| | - Wendi Duan
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuxuan Dai
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA.
| | - Patrick A Sullivan
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Leila F Deravi
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Daeyeon Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA.
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5
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Wang Y, Chen H, Xie L, Liu J, Zhang L, Yu J. Swarm Autonomy: From Agent Functionalization to Machine Intelligence. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2312956. [PMID: 38653192 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202312956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Swarm behaviors are common in nature, where individual organisms collaborate via perception, communication, and adaptation. Emulating these dynamics, large groups of active agents can self-organize through localized interactions, giving rise to complex swarm behaviors, which exhibit potential for applications across various domains. This review presents a comprehensive summary and perspective of synthetic swarms, to bridge the gap between the microscale individual agents and potential applications of synthetic swarms. It is begun by examining active agents, the fundamental units of synthetic swarms, to understand the origins of their motility and functionality in the presence of external stimuli. Then inter-agent communications and agent-environment communications that contribute to the swarm generation are summarized. Furthermore, the swarm behaviors reported to date and the emergence of machine intelligence within these behaviors are reviewed. Eventually, the applications enabled by distinct synthetic swarms are summarized. By discussing the emergent machine intelligence in swarm behaviors, insights are offered into the design and deployment of autonomous synthetic swarms for real-world applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibin Wang
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Hui Chen
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Leiming Xie
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Jinbo Liu
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Jiangfan Yu
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen, 518172, China
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6
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Guillot K, Brahana PJ, Al Harraq A, Ogbonna ND, Lombardo NS, Lawrence J, An Y, Benton MG, Bharti B. Selective Vapor Condensation for the Synthesis and Assembly of Spherical Colloids with a Precise Rough Patch. JACS AU 2024; 4:1107-1117. [PMID: 38559733 PMCID: PMC10976603 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Patchy particles occupy an increasingly important space in soft matter research due to their ability to assemble into intricate phases and states. Being able to fine-tune the interactions among these particles is essential to understanding the principles governing the self-assembly processes. However, current fabrication techniques often yield patches that deviate chemically and physically from the native particles, impeding the identification of the driving forces behind self-assembly. To overcome this challenge, we propose a new approach to synthesizing spherical colloids with a well-defined rough patch on their surface. By treating polystyrene microspheres with vapors of a good solvent, here an acetone-water mixture, we achieve selective polymer corrugation on the particle surface resulting in a chemically similar yet rough surface patch. The key step is the selective condensation of the acetone-water vapors on the apex of the polystyrene microparticles immobilized on a substrate, which leads to rough patch formation. We leverage the ability to tune the vapor-liquid equilibrium of the volatile acetone-water mixture to precisely control the polymer corrugation on the particle surface. We demonstrate the dependence of patch formation on particle and substrate wettability, with the condensation occurring on the particle apex only when it is more wettable than the substrate, which is consistent with Volmer's classical nucleation theory. By combining experiments and molecular dynamics simulations, we identify the role of the rough patch in the depletion interaction-driven self-assembly of the microspheres, which is crucial for designing programmable supracolloidal structures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Nduka D. Ogbonna
- Cain Department of Chemical
Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Nicholas S. Lombardo
- Cain Department of Chemical
Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Jimmy Lawrence
- Cain Department of Chemical
Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Yaxin An
- Cain Department of Chemical
Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Michael G. Benton
- Cain Department of Chemical
Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Bhuvnesh Bharti
- Cain Department of Chemical
Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
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7
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Chan CW, Wu D, Qiao K, Fong KL, Yang Z, Han Y, Zhang R. Chiral active particles are sensitive reporters to environmental geometry. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1406. [PMID: 38365770 PMCID: PMC10873462 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45531-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Chiral active particles (CAPs) are self-propelling particles that break time-reversal symmetry by orbiting or spinning, leading to intriguing behaviors. Here, we examined the dynamics of CAPs moving in 2D lattices of disk obstacles through active Brownian dynamics simulations and granular experiments with grass seeds. We find that the effective diffusivity of the CAPs is sensitive to the structure of the obstacle lattice, a feature absent in achiral active particles. We further studied the transport of CAPs in obstacle arrays under an external field and found a reentrant directional locking effect, which can be used to sort CAPs with different activities. Finally, we demonstrated that parallelogram lattices of obstacles without mirror symmetry can separate clockwise and counter-clockwise CAPs. The mechanisms of the above three novel phenomena are qualitatively explained. As such, our work provides a basis for designing chirality-based tools for single-cell diagnosis and separation, and active particle-based environmental sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung Wing Chan
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Daihui Wu
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Kaiyao Qiao
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Kin Long Fong
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
- Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Straße 1, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Zhiyu Yang
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Yilong Han
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR.
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8
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Bailey MR, Barriuso Gutiérrez CM, Martín-Roca J, Niggel V, Carrasco-Fadanelli V, Buttinoni I, Pagonabarraga I, Isa L, Valeriani C. Minimal numerical ingredients describe chemical microswimmers' 3-D motion. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:2444-2451. [PMID: 38214073 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr03695b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
The underlying mechanisms and physics of catalytic Janus microswimmers is highly complex, requiring details of the associated phoretic fields and the physiochemical properties of catalyst, particle, boundaries, and the fuel used. Therefore, developing a minimal (and more general) model capable of capturing the overall dynamics of these autonomous particles is highly desirable. In the presented work, we demonstrate that a coarse-grained dissipative particle-hydrodynamics model is capable of describing the behaviour of various chemical microswimmer systems. Specifically, we show how a competing balance between hydrodynamic interactions experienced by a squirmer in the presence of a substrate, gravity, and mass and shape asymmetries can reproduce a range of dynamics seen in different experimental systems. We hope that our general model will inspire further synthetic work where various modes of swimmer motion can be encoded via shape and mass during fabrication, helping to realise the still outstanding goal of microswimmers capable of complex 3-D behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian R Bailey
- Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Departamento de Estructura de la Materia, Física Térmica y Electrónica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | - C Miguel Barriuso Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Estructura de la Materia, Física Térmica y Electrónica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | - José Martín-Roca
- Departamento de Estructura de la Materia, Física Térmica y Electrónica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Química, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vincent Niggel
- Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Virginia Carrasco-Fadanelli
- Department of Physics, Institute of Experimental Colloidal Physics, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ivo Buttinoni
- Department of Physics, Institute of Experimental Colloidal Physics, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ignacio Pagonabarraga
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucio Isa
- Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Valeriani
- Departamento de Estructura de la Materia, Física Térmica y Electrónica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
- GISC - Grupo Interdiplinar de Sistemas Complejos, Madrid, Spain
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9
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Pu R, Yang X, Mu H, Xu Z, He J. Current status and future application of electrically controlled micro/nanorobots in biomedicine. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1353660. [PMID: 38314349 PMCID: PMC10834684 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1353660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Using micro/nanorobots (MNRs) for targeted therapy within the human body is an emerging research direction in biomedical science. These nanoscale to microscale miniature robots possess specificity and precision that are lacking in most traditional treatment modalities. Currently, research on electrically controlled micro/nanorobots is still in its early stages, with researchers primarily focusing on the fabrication and manipulation of these robots to meet complex clinical demands. This review aims to compare the fabrication, powering, and locomotion of various electrically controlled micro/nanorobots, and explore their advantages, disadvantages, and potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruochen Pu
- Jintan Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
- Shanghai Bone Tumor Institution, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiyu Yang
- Shanghai Bone Tumor Institution, Shanghai, China
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoran Mu
- Shanghai Bone Tumor Institution, Shanghai, China
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhonghua Xu
- Jintan Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin He
- Jintan Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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10
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Huang H, Yang S, Ying Y, Chen X, Puigmartí-Luis J, Zhang L, Pané S. 3D Motion Manipulation for Micro- and Nanomachines: Progress and Future Directions. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2305925. [PMID: 37801654 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
In the past decade, micro- and nanomachines (MNMs) have made outstanding achievements in the fields of targeted drug delivery, tumor therapy, microsurgery, biological detection, and environmental monitoring and remediation. Researchers have made significant efforts to accelerate the rapid development of MNMs capable of moving through fluids by means of different energy sources (chemical reactions, ultrasound, light, electricity, magnetism, heat, or their combinations). However, the motion of MNMs is primarily investigated in confined two-dimensional (2D) horizontal setups. Furthermore, three-dimensional (3D) motion control remains challenging, especially for vertical movement and control, significantly limiting its potential applications in cargo transportation, environmental remediation, and biotherapy. Hence, an urgent need is to develop MNMs that can overcome self-gravity and controllably move in 3D spaces. This review delves into the latest progress made in MNMs with 3D motion capabilities under different manipulation approaches, discusses the underlying motion mechanisms, explores potential design concepts inspired by nature for controllable 3D motion in MNMs, and presents the available 3D observation and tracking systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Huang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Shihao Yang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Yulong Ying
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Xiangzhong Chen
- Institute of Optoelectronics, State Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Science and Technology, Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Intelligent Optoelectronics and Perception, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Josep Puigmartí-Luis
- Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Química Física, Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional, University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, 08028, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Salvador Pané
- Multi-Scale Robotics Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zürich, Tannenstrasse 3, Zürich, CH-8092, Switzerland
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11
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Lee JG, Thome CP, Cruse ZA, Ganguly A, Gupta A, Shields CW. Magnetically locked Janus particle clusters with orientation-dependent motion in AC electric fields. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:16268-16276. [PMID: 37800377 PMCID: PMC10598768 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr03744d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Active particles, or micromotors, locally dissipate energy to drive locomotion at small length scales. The type of trajectory is generally fixed and dictated by the geometry and composition of the particle, which can be challenging to tune using conventional fabrication procedures. Here, we report a simple, bottom-up method to magnetically assemble gold-coated polystyrene Janus particles into "locked" clusters that display diverse trajectories when stimulated by AC electric fields. The orientation of particles within each cluster gives rise to distinct modes of locomotion, including translational, rotational, trochoidal, helical, and orbital. We model this system using a simplified rigid beads model and demonstrate qualitative agreement between the predicted and experimentally observed cluster trajectories. Overall, this system provides a facile means to scalably create micromotors with a range of well-defined motions from discrete building blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Gyun Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
| | - Cooper P Thome
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
| | - Zoe A Cruse
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
| | - Arkava Ganguly
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
| | - Ankur Gupta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
| | - C Wyatt Shields
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
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12
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Huang H, Zhao Y, Yang H, Li J, Ying Y, Li J, Wang S. Light-driven MOF-based micromotors with self-floating characteristics for water sterilization. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:14165-14174. [PMID: 37593810 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr02299d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional motion (especially in the Z-axis direction) of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-based micromotors (MOFtors) is essential but still in its infancy. Herein, we propose a simple strategy for designing light-driven MOFtors that move in the Z-axis direction and efficiently kill Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The as-prepared polypyrrole nanoparticles (PPy NPs) with excellent photothermal properties are combined with ZIF-8 through a simple in situ encapsulation method, resulting in multi-wavelength photothermally-responsive MOFtors (PPy/ZIF-8). Under the irradiation of near-infrared (NIR)/ultraviolet (UV)/blue light, the MOFtors all exhibited negative phototaxis and high-speed motion behaviour with the highest speed of 2215 ± 338 μm s-1. In addition, it is proved that these MOFtors can slowly self-float up in an aqueous environment. The light irradiation will accelerate the upward movement of the MOFtors, and the time required for the MOFtors to move to the top is negatively correlated with the light intensity. Finally, efficient antibacterial performances (up to 98.89% against S. aureus) are achieved with these light-driven MOFtors owing to the boosted Zn2+ release by vigorous stirring motion and physical entrapment by the upward motion under light irradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Huang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
| | - Yu Zhao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
| | - Haowei Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
| | - Jie Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
| | - Yulong Ying
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
| | - Jinhua Li
- School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Sheng Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
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13
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Lee JG, Raj RR, Thome CP, Day NB, Martinez P, Bottenus N, Gupta A, Shields CW. Bubble-Based Microrobots with Rapid Circular Motions for Epithelial Pinning and Drug Delivery. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2300409. [PMID: 37058137 PMCID: PMC10524026 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202300409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Remotely powered microrobots are proposed as next-generation vehicles for drug delivery. However, most microrobots swim with linear trajectories and lack the capacity to robustly adhere to soft tissues. This limits their ability to navigate complex biological environments and sustainably release drugs at target sites. In this work, bubble-based microrobots with complex geometries are shown to efficiently swim with non-linear trajectories in a mouse bladder, robustly pin to the epithelium, and slowly release therapeutic drugs. The asymmetric fins on the exterior bodies of the microrobots induce a rapid rotational component to their swimming motions of up to ≈150 body lengths per second. Due to their fast speeds and sharp fins, the microrobots can mechanically pin themselves to the bladder epithelium and endure shear stresses commensurate with urination. Dexamethasone, a small molecule drug used for inflammatory diseases, is encapsulated within the polymeric bodies of the microrobots. The sustained release of the drug is shown to temper inflammation in a manner that surpasses the performance of free drug controls. This system provides a potential strategy to use microrobots to efficiently navigate large volumes, pin at soft tissue boundaries, and release drugs over several days for a range of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Gyun Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80303, United States
| | - Ritu R. Raj
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80303, United States
| | - Cooper P. Thome
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80303, United States
| | - Nicole B. Day
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80303, United States
| | - Payton Martinez
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 1111 Engineering Drive, UCB 427, Boulder, CO 80309, United States
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, 1111 Engineering Drive, UCB 422, Boulder, CO 80309, United States
| | - Nick Bottenus
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 1111 Engineering Drive, UCB 427, Boulder, CO 80309, United States
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, 1111 Engineering Drive, UCB 422, Boulder, CO 80309, United States
| | - Ankur Gupta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80303, United States
| | - C. Wyatt Shields
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80303, United States
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, 1111 Engineering Drive, UCB 422, Boulder, CO 80309, United States
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14
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Mafakheri F, Asakereh A, Khoee S, Kamankesh M. Synthesis of magnetic electroactive nanomotors based on sodium alginate/chitosan and investigation the influence of the external electric field on the mechanism of locomotion. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10326. [PMID: 37365264 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37463-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we report a novel electric-driven Janus nanomotor (JNMs) based on SPIONs nanoparticle decorated with chitosan (Cs) and sodium alginate (Na/Alg) using the Pickering emulsion method. The JNMs dispersed in aqueous media exhibit linear trajectories under DC electric field, and the driving force is attributed to the self-electro-osmotic mechanism and surface modifications. This study offers an approach to remotely control the motion modes of the JNMs, including start, stop, directional and programmable motion, which can be advantageous for various application scenarios. The diffusion coefficient and velocity of the JNMs were investigated through mean square displacement analysis for single particle of JNMs, both in distilled water and in the presence of different di and trivalent metal cations (Fe3+, Al3+, Ba2+, Ca2+ and Mg2+) as crosslinking agents, as well as monovalent salts (LiCl and KCl). The results revealed that the motion of JNMs was fastest in the presence of Fe3+ as crosslinker agent (about 7.2181 μm2/s) due to its higher charge than equimolar Na+ . Moreover, it was demonstrated that increasing the ionic strength led to relatively higher speeds of JNMs, as the solution polarity increased and, as a result, the driving force of electro-osmoesis enhanced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fariba Mafakheri
- Polymer Laboratory, School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, 14155-6455, Iran
| | - Ali Asakereh
- Polymer Laboratory, School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, 14155-6455, Iran
| | - Sepideh Khoee
- Polymer Laboratory, School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, 14155-6455, Iran.
| | - Mojtaba Kamankesh
- Polymer Laboratory, School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, 14155-6455, Iran
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15
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Abstract
Active colloids use energy input at the particle level to propel persistent motion and direct dynamic assemblies. We consider three types of colloids animated by chemical reactions, time-varying magnetic fields, and electric currents. For each type, we review the basic propulsion mechanisms at the particle level and discuss their consequences for collective behaviors in particle ensembles. These microscopic systems provide useful experimental models of nonequilibrium many-body physics in which dissipative currents break time-reversal symmetry. Freed from the constraints of thermodynamic equilibrium, active colloids assemble to form materials that move, reconfigure, heal, and adapt. Colloidal machines based on engineered particles and their assemblies provide a basis for mobile robots with increasing levels of autonomy. This review provides a conceptual framework for understanding and applying active colloids to create material systems that mimic the functions of living matter. We highlight opportunities for chemical engineers to contribute to this growing field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J M Bishop
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA;
| | - Sibani Lisa Biswal
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Bhuvnesh Bharti
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
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16
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Dhatt-Gauthier K, Livitz D, Wu Y, Bishop KJM. Accelerating the Design of Self-Guided Microrobots in Time-Varying Magnetic Fields. JACS AU 2023; 3:611-627. [PMID: 37006772 PMCID: PMC10052236 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.2c00499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Mobile robots combine sensory information with mechanical actuation to move autonomously through structured environments and perform specific tasks. The miniaturization of such robots to the size of living cells is actively pursued for applications in biomedicine, materials science, and environmental sustainability. Existing microrobots based on field-driven particles rely on knowledge of the particle position and the target destination to control particle motion through fluid environments. Often, however, these external control strategies are challenged by limited information and global actuation where a common field directs multiple robots with unknown positions. In this Perspective, we discuss how time-varying magnetic fields can be used to encode the self-guided behaviors of magnetic particles conditioned on local environmental cues. Programming these behaviors is framed as a design problem: we seek to identify the design variables (e.g., particle shape, magnetization, elasticity, stimuli-response) that achieve the desired performance in a given environment. We discuss strategies for accelerating the design process using automated experiments, computational models, statistical inference, and machine learning approaches. Based on the current understanding of field-driven particle dynamics and existing capabilities for particle fabrication and actuation, we argue that self-guided microrobots with potentially transformative capabilities are close at hand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Dhatt-Gauthier
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Dimitri Livitz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Yiyang Wu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Kyle J. M. Bishop
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
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17
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Thome C, Hoertdoerfer WS, Bendorf JR, Lee JG, Shields CW. Electrokinetic Active Particles for Motion-Based Biomolecule Detection. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:2379-2387. [PMID: 36881680 PMCID: PMC10038089 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c00319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Detection of biomolecules is essential for patient diagnosis, disease management, and numerous other applications. Recently, nano- and microparticle-based detection has been explored for improving traditional assays by reducing required sample volumes and assay times as well as enhancing tunability. Among these approaches, active particle-based assays that couple particle motion to biomolecule concentration expand assay accessibility through simplified signal outputs. However, most of these approaches require secondary labeling, which complicates workflows and introduces additional points of error. Here, we show a proof-of-concept for a label-free, motion-based biomolecule detection system using electrokinetic active particles. We prepare induced-charge electrophoretic microsensors (ICEMs) for the capture of two model biomolecules, streptavidin and ovalbumin, and show that the specific capture of the biomolecules leads to direct signal transduction through ICEM speed suppression at concentrations as low as 0.1 nM. This work lays the foundation for a new paradigm of rapid, simple, and label-free biomolecule detection using active particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cooper
P. Thome
- Department of Chemical and
Biological Engineering, University of Colorado
Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Wren S. Hoertdoerfer
- Department of Chemical and
Biological Engineering, University of Colorado
Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Julia R. Bendorf
- Department of Chemical and
Biological Engineering, University of Colorado
Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Jin Gyun Lee
- Department of Chemical and
Biological Engineering, University of Colorado
Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - C. Wyatt Shields
- Department of Chemical and
Biological Engineering, University of Colorado
Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
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18
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Hybrid Nanoparticles at Fluid-Fluid Interfaces: Insight from Theory and Simulation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054564. [PMID: 36901995 PMCID: PMC10003740 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Hybrid nanoparticles that combine special properties of their different parts have numerous applications in electronics, optics, catalysis, medicine, and many others. Of the currently produced particles, Janus particles and ligand-tethered (hairy) particles are of particular interest both from a practical and purely cognitive point of view. Understanding their behavior at fluid interfaces is important to many fields because particle-laden interfaces are ubiquitous in nature and industry. We provide a review of the literature, focusing on theoretical studies of hybrid particles at fluid-fluid interfaces. Our goal is to give a link between simple phenomenological models and advanced molecular simulations. We analyze the adsorption of individual Janus particles and hairy particles at the interfaces. Then, their interfacial assembly is also discussed. The simple equations for the attachment energy of various Janus particles are presented. We discuss how such parameters as the particle size, the particle shape, the relative sizes of different patches, and the amphiphilicity affect particle adsorption. This is essential for taking advantage of the particle capacity to stabilize interfaces. Representative examples of molecular simulations were presented. We show that the simple models surprisingly well reproduce experimental and simulation data. In the case of hairy particles, we concentrate on the effects of reconfiguration of the polymer brushes at the interface. This review is expected to provide a general perspective on the subject and may be helpful to many researchers and technologists working with particle-laden layers.
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19
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Haque MA, Zhu X, Uyanga N, Wu N. Propulsion of Homonuclear Colloidal Chains Based on Orientation Control under Combined Electric and Magnetic Fields. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:2751-2760. [PMID: 36745581 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c03221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The remarkable efficiency and dynamics of micromachines in living organisms have inspired researchers to make artificial microrobots for targeted drug delivery, chemical sensing, cargo transport, and waste remediation applications. While several self- and directed-propulsion mechanisms have been discovered, the phoretic force has to be generated via either asymmetric surface functionalization or sophisticated geometric design of microrobots. As a result, many symmetric structures assembled from isotropic colloids are ruled out as viable microrobot possibilities. Here, we propose to utilize orientation control to actuate axially symmetric micro-objects with homogeneous surface properties, such as linear chains assembled from superparamagnetic microspheres. We demonstrate that the fore-and-aft symmetry of a horizontal chain can be broken by tilting it with an angle relative to the substrate under a two-dimensional magnetic field. A superimposed alternating current electric field propels the tilted chains. Our experiments and numerical simulation confirm that the electrohydrodynamic flow along the electrode is unbalanced surrounding the tilted chain, generating hydrodynamic stresses that both propel the chain and reorient it slightly toward the substrate. Our work takes advantage of external fields, where the magnetic field, as a driving wheel and brake, controls chain orientation and direction, while the electric field, as an engine, provides power for locomotion. Without the need to create complex-shaped micromotors with intricate building blocks, our work reveals a propulsion mechanism that breaks the symmetry of hydrodynamic flow by manipulating the orientation of a microscopic object.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Ashraful Haque
- Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Xingrui Zhu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Nomin Uyanga
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Ning Wu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
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20
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Ji F, Wu Y, Pumera M, Zhang L. Collective Behaviors of Active Matter Learning from Natural Taxes Across Scales. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2203959. [PMID: 35986637 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202203959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Taxis orientation is common in microorganisms, and it provides feasible strategies to operate active colloids as small-scale robots. Collective taxes involve numerous units that collectively perform taxis motion, whereby the collective cooperation between individuals enables the group to perform efficiently, adaptively, and robustly. Hence, analyzing and designing collectives is crucial for developing and advancing microswarm toward practical or clinical applications. In this review, natural taxis behaviors are categorized and synthetic microrobotic collectives are discussed as bio-inspired realizations, aiming at closing the gap between taxis strategies of living creatures and those of functional active microswarms. As collective behaviors emerge within a group, the global taxis to external stimuli guides the group to conduct overall tasks, whereas the local taxis between individuals induces synchronization and global patterns. By encoding the local orientations and programming the global stimuli, various paradigms can be introduced for coordinating and controlling such collective microrobots, from the viewpoints of fundamental science and practical applications. Therefore, by discussing the key points and difficulties associated with collective taxes of different paradigms, this review potentially offers insights into mimicking natural collective behaviors and constructing intelligent microrobotic systems for on-demand control and preassigned tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengtong Ji
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Yilin Wu
- Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Martin Pumera
- 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, Korea
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, 999077, China
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21
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Mu Y, Duan W, Hsu KY, Wang Z, Xu W, Wang Y. Light-Activated Colloidal Micromotors with Synthetically Tunable Shapes and Shape-Directed Propulsion. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:57113-57121. [PMID: 36512379 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c14551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Controlling the propulsion modes of colloidal micromotors, from translational to spinning and helical motion, expands the versatility of their potential applications in microrobotics and micromachinery. Engineering colloidal shapes with designed asymmetry can regulate their propulsion behaviors, yet current methods rely on complicated and costly fabrication processes such as lithography. Herein, we present a solution-based synthesis of light-activated colloidal motors adopting straight and various tunable bent geometries, which feature controlled asymmetry and allow shape-directed propulsions. The keys for our strategy are the synthesis of bent silica rods with a tailored bending position and degree, together with the site-specific installation of a photoactive engine. Upon light illumination, the resulting particles propel autonomously, whereby their shape information is translated to various propulsion modes including linear locomotion, steering, and spinning. This low-cost, scalable method for fabricating micromotors with a high degree of control of shapes could promote study in microscale actuation, in active assembly, and eventually for fabrication of colloidal functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijiang Mu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong999077, China
| | - Wendi Duan
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong999077, China
| | - Ka Yuen Hsu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong999077, China
| | - Zhisheng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong999077, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong999077, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong999077, China
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22
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Shen S, Qin X, Feng H, Xie S, Yi Z, Jin M, Zhou G, Akinoglu EM, Mulvaney P, Shui L. Electro-Microfluidic Assembly Platform for Manipulating Colloidal Structures inside Water-in-Oil Emulsion Droplets. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2203341. [PMID: 36169113 PMCID: PMC9661862 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202203341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Colloidal assembly is a key strategy in nature and artificial device. Hereby, an electromicrofluidic assembly platform (eMAP) is proposed and validated to achieve 3D colloidal assembly and manipulation within water droplets. The water-in-oil emulsion droplets autoposition in the eMAP driven by dielectrophoresis, where the (di)electrowetting effect induces droplet deformation, facilitating quadratic growth of the electric field in water droplet to achieve "far-field" dielectrophoretic colloidal assembly. Reconfigurable 3D colloidal configurations are observed and dynamically programmed via applied electric fields, colloidal properties, and droplet size. Binary and ternary colloidal assemblies in one droplet allow designable chemical and physical anisotropies for functional materials and devices. Integration of eMAP in high throughput enables mass production of functional microcapsules, and programmable optoelectronic units for display devices. This eMAP is a valuable reference for expanding fundamental and practical exploration of colloidal systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shitao Shen
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and SystemNational Centre for International Research on Green OptoelectronicsSouth China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and EngineeringSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Qin
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and SystemNational Centre for International Research on Green OptoelectronicsSouth China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and EngineeringSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Haoqiang Feng
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and SystemNational Centre for International Research on Green OptoelectronicsSouth China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and EngineeringSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Shuting Xie
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and SystemNational Centre for International Research on Green OptoelectronicsSouth China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and EngineeringSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Zichuan Yi
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and SystemNational Centre for International Research on Green OptoelectronicsSouth China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and EngineeringSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Mingliang Jin
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and SystemNational Centre for International Research on Green OptoelectronicsSouth China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and EngineeringSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhou510006P. R. China
- International Academy of Optoelectronics at ZhaoqingSouth China Normal UniversityZhaoqingGuangdong526238P. R. China
| | - Guofu Zhou
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and SystemNational Centre for International Research on Green OptoelectronicsSouth China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and EngineeringSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhou510006P. R. China
- International Academy of Optoelectronics at ZhaoqingSouth China Normal UniversityZhaoqingGuangdong526238P. R. China
| | - Eser Metin Akinoglu
- International Academy of Optoelectronics at ZhaoqingSouth China Normal UniversityZhaoqingGuangdong526238P. R. China
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton ScienceSchool of ChemistryUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVIC3010Australia
| | - Paul Mulvaney
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton ScienceSchool of ChemistryUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVIC3010Australia
| | - Lingling Shui
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and SystemNational Centre for International Research on Green OptoelectronicsSouth China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and EngineeringSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhou510006P. R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Functional Materials and DevicesSchool of Information and Optoelectronic Science and EngineeringSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhou510006P. R. China
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23
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Al Harraq A, Bello M, Bharti B. A guide to design the trajectory of active particles: From fundamentals to applications. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2022.101612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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24
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Soft microswimmers: Material capabilities and biomedical applications. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2022.101609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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25
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Harraq A, Choudhury BD, Bharti B. Field-Induced Assembly and Propulsion of Colloids. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:3001-3016. [PMID: 35238204 PMCID: PMC8928473 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Electric and magnetic fields have enabled both technological applications and fundamental discoveries in the areas of bottom-up material synthesis, dynamic phase transitions, and biophysics of living matter. Electric and magnetic fields are versatile external sources of energy that power the assembly and self-propulsion of colloidal particles. In this Invited Feature Article, we classify the mechanisms by which external fields impact the structure and dynamics in colloidal dispersions and augment their nonequilibrium behavior. The paper is purposely intended to highlight the similarities between electrically and magnetically actuated phenomena, providing a brief treatment of the origin of the two fields to understand the intrinsic analogies and differences. We survey the progress made in the static and dynamic assembly of colloids and the self-propulsion of active particles. Recent reports of assembly-driven propulsion and propulsion-driven assembly have blurred the conceptual boundaries and suggest an evolution in the research of nonequilibrium colloidal materials. We highlight the emergence of colloids powered by external fields as model systems to understand living matter and provide a perspective on future challenges in the area of field-induced colloidal phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed
Al Harraq
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Brishty Deb Choudhury
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Bhuvnesh Bharti
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
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26
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Wang J, Ren L, Teng R, Epstein IR, Wang H, Zhang M, Yuan L, Gao Q. Rotational Locomotion of an Active Gel Driven by Internal Chemical Signals. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:11987-11991. [PMID: 34889612 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c03128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Chemical waves arising from coupled reaction and transport can serve as biomimetic "nerve signals" to study the underlying origin and regulation of active locomotion. During wave propagation in more than one spatial dimension, the propagation direction of spiral and pulse waves in a nanogel-based PAAm self-oscillating gel, i.e., the orientation of the driving force, may deviate from the normal direction to the wave fronts. Alternating forward and backward retrograde wave locomotion along the normal and tangential kinematic vectors with a phase difference leads to a curved path, i.e., rotational locomotion. This work indicates that appendages in an organism are not required for this type of locomotion. This locomotion mechanism reveals a general principle underlying the dynamical origin of biological helical locomotion and also suggests design approaches for complex locomotion of soft robots and smart materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Ren
- College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035 Zhejiang, China
| | - Rui Teng
- College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, People's Republic of China
| | - Irving R Epstein
- Department of Chemistry and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9110, United States
| | - Hui Wang
- College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Zhang
- College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling Yuan
- College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingyu Gao
- College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, People's Republic of China
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27
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De Corato M, Pagonabarraga I, Natale G. Spontaneous chiralization of polar active particles. Phys Rev E 2021; 104:044607. [PMID: 34781499 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.104.044607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Polar active particles constitute a wide class of active matter that is able to propel along a preferential direction, given by their polar axis. Here, we demonstrate a generic active mechanism that leads to their spontaneous chiralization through a symmetry-breaking instability. We find that the transition of an active particle from a polar to a chiral symmetry is characterized by the emergence of active rotation and of circular trajectories. The instability is driven by the advection of a solute that interacts differently with the two portions of the particle surface and it occurs through a supercritical pitchfork bifurcation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco De Corato
- Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Ignacio Pagonabarraga
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, C. Martí Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona, Spain University of Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain and CECAM, Centre Européen de Calcul Atomique et Moléculaire, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Batochime, Avenue Forel 2, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giovanniantonio Natale
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Canada
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28
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Wang W, Mallouk TE. A Practical Guide to Analyzing and Reporting the Movement of Nanoscale Swimmers. ACS NANO 2021; 15:15446-15460. [PMID: 34636550 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c07503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The recent invention of nanoswimmers-synthetic, powered objects with characteristic lengths in the range of 10-500 nm-has sparked widespread interest among scientists and the general public. As more researchers from different backgrounds enter the field, the study of nanoswimmers offers new opportunities but also significant experimental and theoretical challenges. In particular, the accurate characterization of nanoswimmers is often hindered by strong Brownian motion, convective effects, and the lack of a clear way to visualize them. When coupled with improper experimental designs and imprecise practices in data analysis, these issues can translate to results and conclusions that are inconsistent and poorly reproducible. This Perspective follows the course of a typical nanoswimmer investigation from synthesis through to applications and offers suggestions for best practices in reporting experimental details, recording videos, plotting trajectories, calculating and analyzing mobility, eliminating drift, and performing control experiments, in order to improve the reliability of the reported results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Thomas E Mallouk
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6243, United States
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29
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Kim YJ, Kim JH, Jo IS, Pine DJ, Sacanna S, Yi GR. Patchy Colloidal Clusters with Broken Symmetry. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:13175-13183. [PMID: 34392686 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c05123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Colloidal clusters are prepared by assembling positively charged cross-linked polystyrene (PS) particles onto negatively charged liquid cores of swollen polymer particles. PS particles at the interface of the liquid core are closely packed around the core due to interfacial wetting. Then, by evaporating solvent in the liquid cores, polymers in the cores are solidified and the clusters are cemented. As the swelling ratio of PS cores increases, cores at the center of colloidal clusters are exposed, forming patchy colloidal clusters. Finally, by density gradient centrifugation, high-purity symmetric colloidal clusters are obtained. When silica-PS core-shell particles are swollen and serve as the liquid cores, hybrid colloidal clusters are obtained in which each silica nanoparticle is relocated to the liquid core interface during the swelling-deswelling process breaking symmetry in colloidal clusters as the silica nanoparticle in the core is comparable in size with the PS particle in the shell. The configuration of colloidal clusters is determined once the number of particles around the liquid core is given, which depends on the size ratio of the liquid core and shell particle. Since hybrid clusters are heavier than PS particles, they can be purified using centrifugation.
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Affiliation(s)
- You-Jin Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Hyun Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Seong Jo
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - David J Pine
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, New York University, Brooklyn, New York 11201, United States
| | | | - Gi-Ra Yi
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Republic of Korea.,Department of Chemical Engineering, POSTECH, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Republic of Korea
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30
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Zhu X, Gao Y, Mhana R, Yang T, Hanson BL, Yang X, Gong J, Wu N. Synthesis and Propulsion of Magnetic Dimers under Orthogonally Applied Electric and Magnetic Fields. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:9151-9161. [PMID: 34292729 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c01329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Anisotropic particles have been widely used to make micro/nanomotors that convert chemical, ultrasonic, electrical, or magnetic energy into mechanical energy. The moving directions of most colloidal motors are, however, difficult to control. For example, asymmetric dimers with two lobes of different sizes, ζ-potential, or chemical composition have shown rich propulsion behaviors under alternating current (AC) electric fields due to unbalanced electrohydrodynamic flow. While they always propel in a direction perpendicular to the applied electric field, their moving directions along the substrate are hard to control, limiting their applications for cargo delivery. Inspired by two separate engine and steering wheel systems in automobiles, we use orthogonally applied AC electric field and direct current (DC) magnetic field to control the dimer's speed and direction independently. To this end, we first synthesize magnetic dimers by coating dopamine-functionalized nanoparticles on geometrically asymmetric polystyrene dimers. We further characterize their static and dynamic susceptibilities by measuring the hysteresis diagram and rotation speed experimentally and comparing them with theoretical predictions. The synthesized dimers align their long axes quickly with a planar DC magnetic field, allowing us to control the particles' orientation accurately. The propulsion speed of the dimers, on the other hand, is tunable by an AC electric field applied perpendicularly to the substrate. As a result, we can direct the particle's motion with predesigned trajectories of complex shapes. Our bulk-synthesis approach has the potential to make other types of magnetically anisotropic particles. And the combination of electric and magnetic fields will help pave the way for the assembly of magnetically anisotropic particles into complex structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingrui Zhu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Yan Gao
- Department of Metallurgical and Material Science, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Ramona Mhana
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Tao Yang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Benjamin L Hanson
- Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Xingfu Yang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Jingjing Gong
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Ning Wu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
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31
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Lee JG, Al Harraq A, Bishop KJM, Bharti B. Fabrication and Electric Field-Driven Active Propulsion of Patchy Microellipsoids. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:4232-4240. [PMID: 33876931 PMCID: PMC8279480 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c01644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Active colloids are a synthetic analogue
of biological microorganisms
that consume external energy to swim through viscous fluids. Such
motion requires breaking the symmetry of the fluid flow in the vicinity
of a particle; however, it is challenging to understand how surface
and shape anisotropies of the colloid lead to a particular trajectory.
Here, we attempt to deconvolute the effects of particle shape and
surface anisotropy on the propulsion of model ellipsoids in alternating
current (AC) electric fields. We first introduce a simple process
for depositing metal patches of various shapes on the surfaces of
ellipsoidal particles. We show that the shape of the metal patch is
governed by the assembled structure of the ellipsoids on the substrate
used for physical vapor deposition. Under high-frequency AC electric
field, ellipsoids dispersed in water show linear, circular, and helical
trajectories which depend on the shapes of the surface patches. We
demonstrate that features of the helical trajectories such as the
pitch and diameter can be tuned by varying the degree of patch asymmetry
along the two primary axes of the ellipsoids, namely longitudinal
and transverse. Our study reveals the role of patch shape on the trajectory
of ellipsoidal particles propelled by induced charge electrophoresis.
We develop heuristics based on patch asymmetries that can be used
to design patchy particles with specified nonlinear trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Gyun Lee
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Ahmed Al Harraq
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
| | - Kyle J M Bishop
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Bhuvnesh Bharti
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, United States
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32
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Thayyil Raju L, Koshkina O, Tan H, Riedinger A, Landfester K, Lohse D, Zhang X. Particle Size Determines the Shape of Supraparticles in Self-Lubricating Ternary Droplets. ACS NANO 2021; 15:4256-4267. [PMID: 33601887 PMCID: PMC8023807 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c06814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Supraparticles are large clusters of much smaller colloidal particles. Controlling the shape and anisotropy of supraparticles can enhance their functionality, enabling applications in fields such as optics, magnetics, and medicine. The evaporation of self-lubricating colloidal ouzo droplets is an easy and efficient strategy to create supraparticles, overcoming the problem of the "coffee-stain effect" during drop evaporation. Yet, the parameters that control the shape of the supraparticles formed in such evaporating droplets are not fully understood. Here, we show that the size of the colloidal particles determines the shape of the supraparticle. We compared the shape of the supraparticles made of seven different sizes of spherical silica particles, namely from 20 to 1000 nm, and of the mixtures of small and large colloidal particles at different mixing ratios. Specifically, our in situ measurements revealed that the supraparticle formation proceeds via the formation of a flexible shell of colloidal particles at the rapidly moving interfaces of the evaporating droplet. The time tc0 when the shell ceases to shrink and loses its flexibility is closely related to the size of particles. A lower tc0, as observed for smaller colloidal particles, leads to a flat pancake-like supraparticle, in contrast to a more curved American football-like supraparticle from larger colloidal particles. Furthermore, using a mixture of large and small colloidal particles, we obtained supraparticles that display a spatial variation in particle distribution, with small colloids forming the outer surface of the supraparticle. Our findings provide a guideline for controlling the supraparticle shape and the spatial distribution of the colloidal particles in supraparticles by simply self-lubricating ternary drops filled with colloidal particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Thayyil Raju
- Physics
of Fluids Group, Faculty of Science and Technology, Mesa+ Institute
for Nanotechnology, Max Planck Center for Complex Fluid Dynamics,
and J. M. Burgers Centre for Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Olga Koshkina
- Max
Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Huanshu Tan
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
- Center
for Complex Flows and Soft Matter Research & Department of Mechanics
and Aerospace Engineering, Southern University
of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Andreas Riedinger
- Max
Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Katharina Landfester
- Max
Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Detlef Lohse
- Physics
of Fluids Group, Faculty of Science and Technology, Mesa+ Institute
for Nanotechnology, Max Planck Center for Complex Fluid Dynamics,
and J. M. Burgers Centre for Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
- Max
Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organisation, Am Fassberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Xuehua Zhang
- Physics
of Fluids Group, Faculty of Science and Technology, Mesa+ Institute
for Nanotechnology, Max Planck Center for Complex Fluid Dynamics,
and J. M. Burgers Centre for Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
- Department
of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University
of Alberta, 12-380 Donadeo
Innovation Centre for Engineering, Edmonton, T6G1H9 Alberta, Canada
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33
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Dou Y, Tzelios PM, Livitz D, Bishop KJM. Programmable topotaxis of magnetic rollers in time-varying fields. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:1538-1547. [PMID: 33331388 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01443e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We describe how spatially uniform, time-periodic magnetic fields can be designed to power and direct the migration of ferromagnetic spheres up (or down) local gradients in the topography of a solid substrate. Our results are based on a dynamical model that considers the time-varying magnetic torques on the particle and its motion through the fluid at low Reynolds number. We use both analytical theory and numerical simulation to design magnetic fields that maximize the migration velocity up (or down) an inclined plane. We show how "topotaxis" of spherical particles relies on differences in the hydrodynamic resistance to rotation about axes parallel and perpendicular to the plane. Importantly, the designed fields can drive multiple independent particles to move simultaneously in different directions as determined by gradients in their respective environments. Experiments on ferromagnetic spheres provide evidence for topotactic motions up inclined substrates. The ability to program the autonomous navigation of driven particles within anisotropic environments is relevant to the design of colloidal robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Dou
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Peter M Tzelios
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Dimitri Livitz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kyle J M Bishop
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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34
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Correia EL, Brown N, Razavi S. Janus Particles at Fluid Interfaces: Stability and Interfacial Rheology. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:374. [PMID: 33540620 PMCID: PMC7913064 DOI: 10.3390/nano11020374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The use of the Janus motif in colloidal particles, i.e., anisotropic surface properties on opposite faces, has gained significant attention in the bottom-up assembly of novel functional structures, design of active nanomotors, biological sensing and imaging, and polymer blend compatibilization. This review is focused on the behavior of Janus particles in interfacial systems, such as particle-stabilized (i.e., Pickering) emulsions and foams, where stabilization is achieved through the binding of particles to fluid interfaces. In many such applications, the interface could be subjected to deformations, producing compression and shear stresses. Besides the physicochemical properties of the particle, their behavior under flow will also impact the performance of the resulting system. This review article provides a synopsis of interfacial stability and rheology in particle-laden interfaces to highlight the role of the Janus motif, and how particle anisotropy affects interfacial mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sepideh Razavi
- School of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of Oklahoma, 100 E. Boyd Street, Norman, OK 73019, USA; (E.L.C.); (N.B.)
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35
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Doherty RP, Varkevisser T, Teunisse M, Hoecht J, Ketzetzi S, Ouhajji S, Kraft DJ. Catalytically propelled 3D printed colloidal microswimmers. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:10463-10469. [PMID: 33057565 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01320j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic microswimmers are widely employed model systems in the studies of out-of-equilibrium phenomena. Unlike biological microswimmers which naturally occur in various shapes and forms, synthetic microswimmers have so far been limited almost exclusively to spherical shapes. Here, we exploit 3D printing to produce microswimmers with complex shapes in the colloidal size regime. We establish the flexibility of 3D printing by two-photon polymerisation to produce particles smaller than 10 microns with a high-degree of shape complexity. We further demonstrate that 3D printing allows control over the location of the active site through orienting the particles in different directions during printing. We verify that particles behave colloidally by imaging their motion in the passive and active states and by investigating their mean square displacement. In addition, we find that particles exhibit shape-dependant behavior, thereby demonstrating the potential of our method to launch a wide-range of in-depth studies into shape-dependent active motion and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel P Doherty
- Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
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36
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Yan J, Rashidi A, Wirth CL. Single and ensemble response of colloidal ellipsoids to a nearby ac electrode. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2020.125384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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37
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Witten TA, Diamant H. A review of shaped colloidal particles in fluids: anisotropy and chirality. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2020; 83:116601. [PMID: 33135667 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6633/abb5c4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This review treats asymmetric colloidal particles moving through their host fluid under the action of some form of propulsion. The propulsion can come from an external body force or from external shear flow. It may also come from externally-induced stresses at the surface, arising from imposed chemical, thermal or electrical gradients. The resulting motion arises jointly from the driven particle and the displaced fluid. If the objects are asymmetric, every aspect of their motion and interaction depends on the orientation of the objects. This orientation in turn changes in response to the driving. The objects' shape can thus lead to a range of emergent anisotropic and chiral motion not possible with isotropic spherical particles. We first consider what aspects of a body's asymmetry can affect its drift through a fluid, especially chiral motion. We next discuss driving by injecting external force or torque into the particles. Then we consider driving without injecting force or torque. This includes driving by shear flow and driving by surface stresses, such as electrophoresis. We consider how time-dependent driving can induce collective orientational order and coherent motion. We show how a given particle shape can be represented using an assembly of point forces called a Stokeslet object. We next consider the interactions between anisotropic propelled particles, the symmetries governing the interactions, and the possibility of bound pairs of particles. Finally we show how the collective hydrodynamics of a suspension can be qualitatively altered by the particles' shapes. The asymmetric responses discussed here are broadly relevant also for swimming propulsion of active micron-scale objects such as microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Witten
- Department of Physics and James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, United States of America
| | - Haim Diamant
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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38
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Luan J, Wang D, Wilson DA. Leveraging synthetic particles for communication: from passive to active systems. NANOSCALE 2020; 12:21015-21033. [PMID: 33073819 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr05675h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Communication is one of the most remarkable behaviors in the living world. It is an important prerequisite for building an artificial cell which can be considered as alive. Achieving complex communicative behaviors leveraging synthetic particles will likely fill the gap between artificial vesicles and natural counterpart of cells and allow for the discovery of new therapies in medicine. In this review, we highlight recent endeavors for constructing communication with synthetic particles by revealing the principles underlying the communicative behaviors. Emergent progress using active particles to achieve communication is also discussed, which resembles the dynamic and out-of-equilibrium properties of communication in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiabin Luan
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Danni Wang
- 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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39
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Salinas G, Pavel I, Sojic N, Kuhn A. Electrochemistry‐Based Light‐Emitting Mobile Systems. ChemElectroChem 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.202001104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Salinas
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR 5255 33607 Pessac France
| | | | - Neso Sojic
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR 5255 33607 Pessac France
| | - Alexander Kuhn
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR 5255 33607 Pessac France
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40
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Xiao Z, Duan S, Xu P, Cui J, Zhang H, Wang W. Synergistic Speed Enhancement of an Electric-Photochemical Hybrid Micromotor by Tilt Rectification. ACS NANO 2020; 14:8658-8667. [PMID: 32530617 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c03022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A hybrid micromotor is an active colloid powered by more than one power source, often exhibiting expanded functionality and controllability than those of a singular energy source. However, these power sources are often applied orthogonally, leading to stacked propulsion that is just a sum of two independent mechanisms. Here, we report that TiO2-Pt Janus micromotors, when subject to both UV light and AC electric fields, move up to 90% faster than simply adding up the speed powered by either source. This unexpected synergy between light and electric fields, we propose, arises from the fact that an electrokinetically powered TiO2-Pt micromotor moves near a substrate with a tilted Janus interface that, upon the application of an electric field, becomes rectified to be vertical to the substrate. Control experiments with magnetic fields and three types of micromotors unambiguously and quantitatively show that the tilting angle of a micromotor correlates positively with its instantaneous speed, reaching maximum at a vertical Janus interface. Such "tilting-induced retardation" could affect a wide variety of chemically powered micromotors, and our findings are therefore helpful in understanding the dynamics of micromachines in confinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuyao Xiao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shifang Duan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Pengzhao Xu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jingqin Cui
- Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Hepeng Zhang
- School of Physics and Astronomy and Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
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41
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Ji F, Jin D, Wang B, Zhang L. Light-Driven Hovering of a Magnetic Microswarm in Fluid. ACS NANO 2020; 14:6990-6998. [PMID: 32463226 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c01464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Swarm behaviors are nature's strategies for performing cooperative work, and extensive research has been aimed at emulating these strategies in engineering systems. However, the implementation of vertical motion and construction of a 3D structure are still challenging. Herein, we propose a simple strategy for creating a hybrid-driven paramagnetic tornado-like microswarm in an aqueous solution by integrating the use of a magnetic field and light. The precession of a magnetic field results in in-plane rotation, and light promotes the conversion of a planar microswarm to a microswarm tornado, thus realizing the transition from 2D to 3D patterns. This 3D microswarm is capable of performing reversible, vertical mass transportation. The reconfigurable collective behavior of the swarm from 2D to 3D motion consists of rising, hovering, oscillation, and landing stages. Moreover, this 3D tornado-like microswarm is capable of controlling the chemical reaction rate of the liquid in which it is deployed, for example, the degradation of methylene blue. The experimental results unveil that the tornado-like microswarm can enhance the overall degradation while holding the reactant nearby and inside it because of the flow difference between near and far regions of the microswarm tornado. Furthermore, by applying an oscillating magnetic field, the 3D microswarm can process the trapped methylene blue for on-demand degradation. The microswarm tornado is demonstrated to provide a method for collective vertical transportation and inspire ideas for mimicking 3D swarm behaviors in order to apply the functional performance to biomedical, catalytic, and micro-/nanoengineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengtong Ji
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dongdong Jin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ben Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
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42
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Wang Z, Wang Z, Li J, Tian C, Wang Y. Active colloidal molecules assembled via selective and directional bonds. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2670. [PMID: 32471993 PMCID: PMC7260206 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16506-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly of active and self-propelled particles is an emerging strategy to create dynamic materials otherwise impossible. However, control of the complex particle interactions remains challenging. Here, we show that various dynamic interactions of active patchy particles can be orchestrated by tuning the particle size, shape, composition, etc. This capability is manifested in establishing dynamic colloidal bonds that are highly selective and directional, which greatly expands the spectrum of colloidal structures and dynamics by assembly. For example, we demonstrate the formation of colloidal molecules with tunable bond angles and orientations. They exhibit controllable propulsion, steering, reconfiguration as well as other dynamic behaviors that collectively reflect the bond properties. The working principle is further extended to the co-assembly of synthetic particles with biological entities including living cells, giving rise to hybrid colloidal molecules of various types, for example, a colloidal carrousel structure. Our strategy should enable active systems to perform sophisticated tasks in future such as selective cell treatment. The assembly of active and self-propelled particles is an emerging strategy to create dynamic materials otherwise impossible. Here, the authors show the assembly of active colloidal molecules with a wide spectrum of new structures and dynamics, conferred to them by highly selective and directional interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuochen Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zhisheng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jiahui Li
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Changhao Tian
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Sherman ZM, Swan JW. Spontaneous Electrokinetic Magnus Effect. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2020; 124:208002. [PMID: 32501074 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.124.208002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Colloids dispersed in electrolytes and exposed to an electric field produce a locally polarized cloud of ions around them. Above a critical electric field strength, an instability occurs causing these ion clouds to break symmetry leading to spontaneous rotation of particles about an axis orthogonal to the applied field, a phenomenon named Quincke rotation. In this Letter, we characterize a new mode of electrokinetic transport. If the colloids have a net charge, Quincke rotation couples with electrophoretic motion and propels particles in a direction orthogonal to both the applied field and the axis of rotation. This motion is a spontaneous, electrokinetic analogue to the well-known Magnus effect. Typically, motion orthogonal to a field requires anisotropy in particle shape, dielectric properties, or boundary geometry. Here, the electrokinetic Magnus (EKM) effect occurs for spheres with isotropic properties in an unbounded environment, with the Quincke rotation instability providing the broken symmetry needed to drive orthogonal motion. We study the EKM effect using explicit ion, Brownian dynamics simulations and develop a simple, continuum, analytic electrokinetic theory, which are in agreement. We also explain how nonlinearities in the theoretical description of the ions affect Quincke rotation and the EKM effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary M Sherman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - James W Swan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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Al Harraq A, Lee JG, Bharti B. Magnetic field-driven assembly and reconfiguration of multicomponent supraparticles. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaba5337. [PMID: 32494727 PMCID: PMC7209988 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba5337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Suprastructures at the colloidal scale must be assembled with precise control over local interactions to accurately mimic biological complexes. The toughest design requirements include breaking the symmetry of assembly in a simple and reversible fashion to unlock functions and properties so far limited to living matter. We demonstrate a simple experimental technique to program magnetic field-induced interactions between metallodielectric patchy particles and isotropic, nonmagnetic "satellite" particles. By controlling the connectivity, composition, and distribution of building blocks, we show the assembly of three-dimensional, multicomponent supraparticles that can dynamically reconfigure in response to change in external field strength. The local arrangement of building blocks and their reconfigurability are governed by a balance of attraction and repulsion between oppositely polarized domains, which we illustrate theoretically and tune experimentally. Tunable, bulk assembly of colloidal matter with predefined symmetry provides a platform to design functional microstructured materials with preprogrammable physical and chemical properties.
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Wang W, Lv X, Moran JL, Duan S, Zhou C. A practical guide to active colloids: choosing synthetic model systems for soft matter physics research. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:3846-3868. [PMID: 32285071 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00222d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic active colloids that harvest energy stored in the environment and swim autonomously are a popular model system for active matter. This emerging field of research sits at the intersection of materials chemistry, soft matter physics, and engineering, and thus cross-talk among researchers from different backgrounds becomes critical yet difficult. To facilitate this interdisciplinary communication, and to help soft matter physicists with choosing the best model system for their research, we here present a tutorial review article that describes, in appropriate detail, six experimental systems of active colloids commonly found in the physics literature. For each type, we introduce their background, material synthesis and operating mechanisms and notable studies from the soft matter community, and comment on their respective advantages and limitations. In addition, the main features of each type of active colloid are summarized into two useful tables. As materials chemists and engineers, we intend for this article to serve as a practical guide, so those who are not familiar with the experimental aspects of active colloids can make more informed decisions and maximize their creativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xianglong Lv
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, China.
| | - Jeffrey L Moran
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, USA
| | - Shifang Duan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, China.
| | - Chao Zhou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, China.
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Yang Y, Bevan MA. Cargo capture and transport by colloidal swarms. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaay7679. [PMID: 32042903 PMCID: PMC6981086 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay7679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Controlling active colloidal particle swarms could enable useful microscopic functions in emerging applications at the interface of nanotechnology and robotics. Here, we present a computational study of controlling self-propelled colloidal particle propulsion speeds to cooperatively capture and transport cargo particles, which otherwise produce random dispersions. By sensing swarm and cargo coordinates, each particle's speed is actuated according to a control policy based on multiagent assignment and path planning strategies that navigate stochastic particle trajectories to targets around cargo. Colloidal swarms are shown to dynamically cage cargo at their center via inward radial forces while simultaneously translating via directional forces. Speed, power, and efficiency of swarm tasks display emergent coupled dependences on swarm size and pair interactions and approach asymptotic limits indicating near-optimal performance. This scheme exploits unique interactions and stochastic dynamics in colloidal swarms to capture and transport microscopic cargo in a robust, stable, error-tolerant, and dynamic manner.
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Wang Z, Wang Z, Li J, Cheung STH, Tian C, Kim SH, Yi GR, Ducrot E, Wang Y. Active Patchy Colloids with Shape-Tunable Dynamics. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:14853-14863. [PMID: 31448592 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b07785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Controlling the complex dynamics of active colloids-the autonomous locomotion of colloidal particles and their spontaneous assembly-is challenging yet crucial for creating functional, out-of-equilibrium colloidal systems potentially useful for nano- and micromachines. Herein, by introducing the synthesis of active "patchy" colloids of various low-symmetry shapes, we demonstrate that the dynamics of such systems can be precisely tuned. The low-symmetry patchy colloids are made in bulk via a cluster-encapsulation-dewetting method. They carry essential information encoded in their shapes (particle geometry, number, size, and configurations of surface patches, etc.) that programs their locomotive and assembling behaviors. Under AC electric field, we show that the velocity of particle propulsion and the ability to brake and steer can be modulated by having two asymmetrical patches with various bending angles. The assembly of monopatch particles leads to the formation of dynamic and reconfigurable structures such as spinners and "cooperative swimmers" depending on the particle's aspect ratios. A particle with two patches of different sizes allows for "directional bonding", a concept popular in static assemblies but rare in dynamic ones. With the capability to make tunable and complex shapes, we anticipate the discovery of a diverse range of new dynamics and structures when other external stimuli (e.g., magnetic, optical, chemical, etc.) are employed and spark synergy with shapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuochen Wang
- Department of Chemistry , The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam Road , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - Zhisheng Wang
- Department of Chemistry , The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam Road , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - Jiahui Li
- Department of Chemistry , The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam Road , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - Simon Tsz Hang Cheung
- Department of Chemistry , The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam Road , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - Changhao Tian
- Department of Chemistry , The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam Road , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - Shin-Hyun Kim
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering , KAIST , Daejeon 34141 , Republic of Korea
| | - Gi-Ra Yi
- School of Chemical Engineering , Sungkyunkwan University , Suwon 440-746 , Republic of Korea
| | - Etienne Ducrot
- Center for Soft Matter Research, Department of Physics , New York University , New York , New York 11206 , United States
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Department of Chemistry , The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam Road , Hong Kong SAR , China
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