Structure‐Dependent Optical Modulation of Propulsion and Collective Behavior of Acoustic/Light‐Driven Hybrid Microbowls

Abstract

Hybrid light/acoustic‐powered microbowl motors, composed of gold (Au) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) with a structure‐dependent optical modulation of both their movement and collective behavior are reported by reversing the inner and outer positions of Au and TiO2. The microbowl propels in an acoustic field toward its exterior side. UV light activates the photochemical reaction on the TiO2 surface in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and the Au/TiO2 system moves toward its TiO2 side by self‐electrophoresis. Controlling the light intensity allows switching of the dominant propulsion mode and provides braking or reversal of motion direction when TiO2 is on the interior, or accelerated motion when the TiO2 is on its exterior. Theoretical simulations offer an understanding of the acoustic streaming flow and self‐electrophoretic fluid flow induced by the asymmetric distribution of ions around the microbowl. The light‐modulation behavior along with the tunable structure also leads to the control of the swarm behaviors under the acoustic field, including expansion or compaction of ensembles of microbowls with interior and exterior TiO2, respectively. Such structure‐dependent motion control thus paves the way for a variety of complex microscale operations, ranging from cargo transport to drug delivery in biomedical and environmental applications.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Apr 05, 2019
Source ID
10.1002/adfm.201809003

Entities

People

  • Amir Nourhani
  • Chuanrui Chen
  • Emil Karshalev
  • Fangyu Zhang
  • Fernando Soto
  • Haifeng Dong
  • Jing Zhao
  • Jinxing Li
  • Joseph Wang
  • Songsong Tang
  • Wael Talaat
  • Xiaolong Lu
  • Xueji Zhang
  • Zhihan Hu
  • Zhihua Lin

Organizations

  • Charles Lee Powell Foundation
  • China Scholarship Council
  • Defense Threat Reduction Agency
  • University of California, San Diego
  • University of Science and Technology Beijing

Tags

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Nanoscale Plasmonic Nanotechnology
  • Surface Engineering/Surface Coating Technology.

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology