School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
Nanoscale. 2023 Jul 6;15(26):11052-11063. doi: 10.1039/d3nr01912h.
Inspired by nature, nanomotors have been developed that have great potential in microfluidics and biomedical applications. The development of the rotary nanomotor, which is an important type of nanomotor, is an essential step towards intelligent nanomachines and nanorobots. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a crucial component of rotary nanomotors because of their excellent mechanical properties and adaptability to the human body. Herein, we introduce a convenient manipulation method for controlling the rotation of a nanomotor assembled from CNT-DNA, which uses the electroosmosis effect within oppositely charged dual nanopores. The central components of this nanomotor consist of a double-walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) and a circular single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), which acts as the driving element for the nanomotor. Selective ion transport through charged nanopores can generate a robust electroosmotic flow (EOF), which serves as the primary power for the movement of circular ssDNA. The tangential force on the ssDNA is transmitted electrostatic adsorption to the outer surface of the CNT, known as the rotor, resulting in the rotation of the nanomotor. By simply adjusting the electric field and surface charge density of each nanopore, rotational variables including speed, output power and torque can be readily regulated in this work. This proof-of-concept research provides a promising foundation for the future development of the precise control of nanomotors.
受自然启发，已经开发出了纳米马达，它们在微流控和生物医学应用中有很大的潜力。旋转纳米马达的发展是向智能纳米机器和纳米机器人发展的重要一步，它是一种重要的纳米马达类型。碳纳米管（CNTs）是旋转纳米马达的关键组成部分，因为它们具有优异的机械性能和对人体的适应性。在此，我们介绍了一种控制由 CNT-DNA 组装的纳米马达旋转的简便操纵方法，该方法利用了带相反电荷的双纳米孔内的电渗效应。该纳米马达的核心组件包括一个双壁碳纳米管（DWCNT）和一个圆形单链 DNA（ssDNA），ssDNA 作为纳米马达的驱动元件。通过带电荷的纳米孔选择性离子传输可以产生强大的电渗流（EOF），这是圆形 ssDNA 运动的主要动力。ssDNA 上的切向力通过静电吸附传递到 CNT 的外表面，即转子上，从而导致纳米马达旋转。通过简单地调整每个纳米孔的电场和表面电荷密度，可以在这项工作中轻松调节速度、输出功率和扭矩等旋转变量。这项概念验证研究为纳米马达的精确控制的未来发展提供了有前途的基础。
