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Programmable Phototaxis of Metal–Phenolic Particle Microswimmers
Author(s) -
Lin Gan,
Richardson Joseph J.,
Ahmed Heba,
Besford Quinn A.,
Christofferson Andrew J.,
Beyer Sebastian,
Lin Zhixing,
Rezk Amgad R.,
Savioli Marco,
Zhou Jiajing,
McConville Chris F.,
CortezJugo Christina,
Yeo Leslie Y.,
Caruso Frank
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.202006177
Subject(s) - phototaxis , particle (ecology) , materials science , nanotechnology , collective motion , magnetosphere particle motion , physics , oceanography , botany , classical mechanics , quantum mechanics , magnetic field , biology , geology
Light‐driven directional motion is common in nature but remains a challenge for synthetic microparticles, particularly regarding collective motion on a macroscopic scale. Successfully engineering microparticles with light‐driven collective motion could lead to breakthroughs in drug delivery, contaminant sensing, environmental remediation, and artificial life. Herein, metal–phenolic particle microswimmers capable of autonomously sensing and swimming toward an external light source are reported, with the speed regulated by the wavelength and intensity of illumination. These microswimmers can travel macroscopic distances (centimeters) and can remain illuminated for hours without degradation of motility. Experimental and theoretical analyses demonstrate that motion is generated through chemical transformations of the organic component of the metal–phenolic complex. Furthermore, cargos with specific spectral absorption profiles can be loaded into the particles and endow the particle microswimmers with activated motion corresponding to these spectral characteristics. The programmable nature of the light navigation, tunable size of the particles, and versatility of cargo loading demonstrate the versatility of these metal–phenolic particle microswimmers.