posted on 2019-04-11, 00:00authored byHongxu Chen, Qilong Zhao, Yunlong Wang, Shilin Mu, Huanqing Cui, Juan Wang, Tengfei Kong, Xuemin Du
Micro/nanomotors
can effectively convert other forms of energy into mechanical energy,
which have been widely used in microscopic fields. However, it is
still challenging to integrate the micro/nanomotors to perform complex
tasks for broad applications. Herein, a new mode for driving the collective
motion behaviors of integrated micro/nanomotors in a liquid by plasmonic
heating is reported. The integrated micro/nanomotors, constituted
by gold hollow microcone array (AuHMA), are fabricated via colloidal
lithography. Owing to the excellent plasmonic-heating property of
the AuHMA, the integrated micro/nanomotors can generate vapor bubbles
in the liquid as exposure to near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, therefore
inducing versatile motions via on/off NIR irradiation. The floating–diving
motions are reversible for at least 60 cycles without fatigue. In
addition, precise manipulation of the coordinated motion behaviors,
including bending, convex, and jellyfish-like floating motions, can
be realized by adjusting the irradiated positions of incident NIR
light together with the sizes and shapes of AuHMA films. Moreover,
the AuHMA film can act as a robust motor to drive a foam craft over
57-folds of its own weight as exposure to NIR irradiation. Our investigation
into the NIR-driven AuHMA film provides a facile approach for obtaining
integrated micro/nanomotors with controllable collective motions,
which holds promise in remotely controlled smart devices and soft
robotics in liquids.