Advances in Chemically Powered Micro/Nanorobots for Biological Applications: A Review

Abstract

Micro/nanorobots (MNRs) are capable of autonomous motion, breaking through the limitations of traditional passive transport of nanocarriers. Among them, chemically driven MNRs are the earliest MNRs studied and have received extensive attention from researchers. This review first focuses on the material properties, preparation, driving forms, and mechanisms of chemically driven MNRs. The current status of research on chemically driven MNRs in biomedicine is summarized for various biological applications (drug delivery, diagnostics, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and disease treatment). In terms of biosafety, possible safety issues are analyzed in the context of chemically driven microrobotic applications in terms of three aspects: component characteristics, chemical engines and biological environment. Finally, the challenges and possible future directions of chemically driven MNRs are presented.

A novel magnetically guided, oxygen propelled CoPt/Au nanosheet motor in conjugation with a multilayer hollow microcapsule for effective drug delivery and light triggered drug release

“…The nanomotors are classified as chemically propelled 16,17 and nonchemically propelled 18,19 motors, based on the potential for picking up, transporting and releasing therapeutic agents to the diseased tissues at a desired time and location in a comfortable and controllable way. Consequently, the efficiency of treatment is increased, while the side effects of the highly toxic drugs are reduced.…”

Light‐Driven MXene‐Based Microrobots: Mineralization of Bisphenol A to CO2 and H2O

“…Nano/microrobots (NMBOTs) remotely actuated using various energy sources, such as magnetic, [1,2] optical, [3][4][5] electrical, [1] DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202201547 ultrasound, [3] and chemicals [6] fields, have received extensive interest in biomedical [7][8][9][10] and environmental [11,12] applications in recent years. These nano/microscale devices are capable of converting chemical energy into autonomous motion and performing multiple tasks.…”

Light-driven micro/nanomotors in biomedical applications

“…30 This requires the corresponding substrate as fuel, such as hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), [31][32][33] glucose, [34][35][36] urea, [37][38][39] and other chemicals, 40 to provide adequate energy. 41,42 External field-driven MNMs ( physically driven MNMs) can respond to external physical stimulus energy and convert it into mechanical power, which is a stable and controllable energy source to avoid the side effects of chemical fuels on biological systems. 43 The exploration of external field-driven MNMs mainly focuses on light-driven MNMs, [44][45][46] magnetically-driven MNMs, [47][48][49] ultrasound-driven MNMs, [50][51][52] and electrically-driven MNMs.…”