RSC Publishing


Publishing

 

Cover image for Faraday Discussions, select for current issue

Faraday Discussions

Discussion summary and research papers, in physical chemistry, chemical physics and biophysical chemistry.



Purchasing an Individual Volume

Purchase a recent Faraday Discussion as an individual volume

Subscribers

Non-subscribers

Free access



Paper

Faraday Discuss., 2009, 143, 15 - 27, DOI: 10.1039/b900971j


Chemo and phototactic nano/microbots

Ayusman Sen, Michael Ibele, Yiying Hong and Darrell Velegol


One of the more interesting recent discoveries has been the ability to design nano/microparticles which catalytically harness the chemical energy in their environments to move autonomously. These nanomotors can be directed by externally applied magnetic fields, or optical and chemical gradients. Our group has now developed two systems in which chemical secretions from the translating micro/nanomotors initiate long-range, collective interactions among the particles via self-diffusiophoresis. Herein, we discuss two different approaches to model the complex emergent behavior of these particles, the first being a qualitative probability-based model with wide applicability, and the second being a more quantitative Brownian dynamics simulation specific to the self-diffusiophoretic phenomenon.