Issue 28, 2020

Asymmetry controlled dynamic behavior of autonomous chemiluminescent Janus microswimmers

Abstract

Asymmetrically modified Janus microparticles are presented as autonomous light emitting swimmers. The localized dissolution of hybrid magnesium/polymer objects allows combining chemiluminescence with the spontaneous production of H2 bubbles, and thus generating directed motion. These light-emitting microswimmers are synthesized by using a straightforward methodology based on bipolar electromilling, followed by indirect bipolar electrodeposition of an electrophoretic paint. An optimization of the experimental parameters enables in the first step the formation of well-defined isotropic or anisotropic Mg microparticles. Subsequently, they are asymmetrically modified by wireless deposition of an anodic paint. The degree of asymmetry of the resulting Janus particles can be fine-tuned, leading to a controlled directional motion due to anisotropic gas formation. This autonomous motion is coupled with the emission of bright orange light when Ru(bpy)32+ and S2O82− are present in the solution as chemiluminescent reagents. The light emission is based on an original process of interfacial redox-induced chemiluminescence, thus allowing an easy visualization of the swimmer trajectories.

Graphical abstract: Asymmetry controlled dynamic behavior of autonomous chemiluminescent Janus microswimmers

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
29 Apr 2020
Accepted
27 Jun 2020
First published
30 Jun 2020
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2020,11, 7438-7443

Asymmetry controlled dynamic behavior of autonomous chemiluminescent Janus microswimmers

G. Salinas, A. L. Dauphin, S. Voci, L. Bouffier, N. Sojic and A. Kuhn, Chem. Sci., 2020, 11, 7438 DOI: 10.1039/D0SC02431G

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