Designing Catalytic Nanomotors

纳米级物体的受控运动是实现集成纳米机械系统的第一步，该系统可以在纳米电子学、光子学、生物工程和药物输送或疾病治疗方面实现突破应用。自然产生的纳米马达是由催化反应驱动的生物马达蛋白质。与自然界中的纳米马达不同，大多数人造纳米马达通常是由外场驱动的。最近已经证明，使用简单的催化反应和不对称的双金属纳米棒，可以制造出模拟生物单胞菌的某些动力学行为的催化纳米电机。这项研究为人类能够构建模仿生物行为的复杂纳米机器带来了曙光。然而，由于缺乏能够设计所需动态部件的灵活制造技术，人造纳米机器的建造仍然是当代的一大挑战。我们实验室最近的研究表明，基于阴影生长和动态衬底操纵的纳米制造技术可以用来设计具有不同动态行为的催化纳米电机。在本项目中，我们将致力于以下目标：(1)设计具有不同动力学特性的纳米电机，(2)表征纳米电机及其运动行为，(3)探索替代燃料的使用和对纳米电机运动的控制。该项目的成功将为我们获得和设计不同的新型纳米运动部件打开一扇门，并将催化快速和创新的进步，不仅在纳米电机部件的制造方面，而且在设计和集成新型纳米机械方面。随着功能化和运动控制的进一步深入，这些纳米电机在纳米机械系统、药物输送、疾病治疗等方面的应用前景被寄予厚望。此外，该项目还将为研究生和本科生，甚至高中生建立严谨的材料物理和纳米技术教育和培训机会。

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.