Designing Catalytic Nanomotors

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Controlled motion of nanoscale objects is the first step to achieve integrated nanomachinary systems that can enable break-through applications in nanoelectronics, photonics, bioengineering, and drug delivery or disease treatment. Naturally occurring nanomotors are biological motor proteins powered by catalytic reactions. Unlike the nanomotors in nature, most artificial nanomotors are usually powered by external fields. Recently it has been demonstrated that using a simple catalytic reaction and an asymmetric bimetallic nanorod, one can produce catalytic nanomotors that mimic certain dynamic behaviors of bionanomotors. This research has shined a light for humans to be able to construct complicated nanomachines which mimic biological behavior. Yet, the construction of artificial nanomachines remains a major contemporary challenge due to the lack of a flexible fabrication technique that can design the desired dynamic components. Recent research in our laboratories has demonstrated that a nanofabrication technique based on shadowing growth and dynamic substrate manipulation can be used to design catalytic nanomotors with different dynamic behaviors. In this project, we will address the following objectives: (1) to design nanomotors with different dynamic properties, (2) to characterize the nanomotors and their motion behaviors, (3) to explore the use of alternative fuel and the control of the nanomotors motion. The success of this project will open a door for us to access and design different novel nano-motion components, and will catalyze rapid and innovative advances not only in fabricating nanomotor components, but also in designing and integrating novel nanomachines. With further functionalization and motion control, implications of those nanomotors in NEMS, drug delivery, disease treatment, etc, are greatly expected. In addition, this project will also establish a rigorous material physics and nanotechnology education and training opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students, and even high school students.