Light-Responsive Nanofibrous Motor with Simultaneously Precise Locomotion and Reversible Deformation

Abstract

Light-powered micromotors have drawn enormous attention because of their potential applications in cargo delivery, environmental monitoring, and noninvasive surgery. However, the existing micromotors still suffer from some challenges, including slow speed, poor controllability, single locomotion mode, and no deformation during movement. Herein, we employ a combined electrospinning with brushing of Chinese ink to simply fabricate a light-responsive gradient-structured poly­(vinyl alcohol)/carbon (PVA/carbon) composite motor. Because of the surface deposition and ultrahigh loading amount of carbon nanoparticles (ca. 43%), the motor exhibits rapid (39 mm/s), direction-controlled, and multimodal locomotion (vertical movement, horizontal motion, rotation) under light irradiation. Simultaneously, gradient alignment structure of the PVA nanofibrous matrix endows the motor with controllable and reversible deformation during locomotion. We finally demonstrate the potential applications of the motors in leakage monitoring, object salvage, smart access, and intelligent assembly. The present work will inspire the design of novel photosensitive motors for applications in various fields, such as microrobots, environmental monitoring, and biomedicine.

Recent Advances in Electrospinning Techniques for Precise Medicine

“…Feng et al. [ 124 ] manufactured a light-driven deformable PVA/carbon micromotor using electrospinning, which exhibits rapid moving speed (39 mm·s −1 ), directionally controlled, and multimodal locomotion (vertical, horizontal, and rotatory motions). Although these studies have successfully engineered light-driven microrobots and verified their motility in vitro, the low penetration depth of lasers (a few millimeters) through human tissues remains a substantial challenge for the application of microrobots in the human body.…”

3D Motion Manipulation for Micro‐ and Nanomachines: Progress and Future Directions

“…[83] Similarly, Song and co-workers also fabricated light-powered polyvinyl-alcohol-nanofibrous-based composite motors, which exhibited direction-controlled multimodal locomotion (vertical movement, horizontal movement, and rotation) with a maximum speed of 39 mm s −1 relating to the direction of light irradiation. [84] Lately, in the MNM field, some works started to report the MNMs with vertical motion based on bubble-based buoyancy regulation. Solovev and co-workers presented the first example of buoyancy-regulated MNMs through the surface growth of carbon dioxide microbubbles in carbonated water and brewed beverages together with the external magnetic field (Figure 10e).…”

“…[ 83 ] Similarly, Song and co‐workers also fabricated light‐powered polyvinyl‐alcohol‐nanofibrous‐based composite motors, which exhibited direction‐controlled multimodal locomotion (vertical movement, horizontal movement, and rotation) with a maximum speed of 39 mm s −1 relating to the direction of light irradiation. [ 84 ]…”

Magnetic Nanomotors in Emulsions for Locomotion of Microdroplets

“…The world of micro-/nanomotors is extremely diverse. − The wide research interest in such systems is due to a variety of applied problems, which can be solved with their use in fields such as medicine, − ecology, − elaboration of sensors, − degradation of antibiotics, and antibiotic therapy. , Nowadays, many micro-/nanomotors are under study: Janus micro- and nanomotors, − helical micromotors, tubular micromotors, self-propelled droplets, − biohybrid robotics, and micromotors on the base of metal oxides. − The motion of micro-/nanomotors can be due to different factors such as light, − chemical reactions, − and effects of acoustic, electric, or magnetic fields. − In the case of using a magnetic field, micro-/nanomotors can convert the energy of magnetic field into mechanical energy. Significant research interest to this method of micro-/nanomotor locomotion is because a low-intensity magnetic field is harmless for living organisms.…”