Progress toward Light-Harvesting Self-Electrophoretic Motors: Highly Efficient Bimetallic Nanomotors and Micropumps in Halogen Media.

We have developed a highly efficient, bubble-free autonomous nanomotor based on a nanobattery. Bimetallic silver-platinum nanorods are powered by self-electrophoresis and show speeds much higher than those of other electrophoretic motors at similar fuel concentrations. The fuel (I2) can be regenerated by exposure to ambient light, leading to renewed motion of the motor. This versatile system can also be made into a micropump that transports fluid and particles.