Putting Nanoparticles to Work: Self-propelled Inorganic Micro- and Nanomotors

Abstract

The development of nanomotors (nano- and micron sized particles that convert energy into mechanical movement) is an exciting endeavor. Nanomotors have been crafted in an extensive variety of sizes, morphologies and compositions for applications such as drug delivery, cargo transport, sensing, and lithography. Inspired by nature's elegant use of chemical gradients and cellular tracks for independently driven molecular processes, a variety of machines have been created. With the recent bestowment of the Nobel Prize for molecular machines, this concept is being actively pursued to create inorganic nano-and microparticles that independently move for a gamut of applications.