1
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Mao M, Wu Y, He Q. Recent advances in targeted drug delivery for the treatment of glioblastoma. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:8689-8707. [PMID: 38606460 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr01056f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the highly malignant brain tumors characterized by significant morbidity and mortality. Despite the recent advancements in the treatment of GBM, major challenges persist in achieving controlled drug delivery to tumors. The management of GBM poses considerable difficulties primarily due to unresolved issues in the blood-brain barrier (BBB)/blood-brain tumor barrier (BBTB) and GBM microenvironment. These factors limit the uptake of anti-cancer drugs by the tumor, thus limiting the therapeutic options. Current breakthroughs in nanotechnology provide new prospects concerning unconventional drug delivery approaches for GBM treatment. Specifically, swimming nanorobots show great potential in active targeted delivery, owing to their autonomous propulsion and improved navigation capacities across biological barriers, which further facilitate the development of GBM-targeted strategies. This review presents an overview of technological progress in different drug administration methods for GBM. Additionally, the limitations in clinical translation and future research prospects in this field are also discussed. This review aims to provide a comprehensive guideline for researchers and offer perspectives on further development of new drug delivery therapies to combat GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Mao
- School of Medicine and Health, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
| | - Yingjie Wu
- School of Medicine and Health, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
| | - Qiang He
- School of Medicine and Health, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
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2
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Bozuyuk U, Wrede P, Yildiz E, Sitti M. Roadmap for Clinical Translation of Mobile Microrobotics. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2311462. [PMID: 38380776 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202311462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Medical microrobotics is an emerging field to revolutionize clinical applications in diagnostics and therapeutics of various diseases. On the other hand, the mobile microrobotics field has important obstacles to pass before clinical translation. This article focuses on these challenges and provides a roadmap of medical microrobots to enable their clinical use. From the concept of a "magic bullet" to the physicochemical interactions of microrobots in complex biological environments in medical applications, there are several translational steps to consider. Clinical translation of mobile microrobots is only possible with a close collaboration between clinical experts and microrobotics researchers to address the technical challenges in microfabrication, safety, and imaging. The clinical application potential can be materialized by designing microrobots that can solve the current main challenges, such as actuation limitations, material stability, and imaging constraints. The strengths and weaknesses of the current progress in the microrobotics field are discussed and a roadmap for their clinical applications in the near future is outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ugur Bozuyuk
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Paul Wrede
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Erdost Yildiz
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koc University, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey
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3
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Liu J, Yang Z, Yan Z, Duan S, Chen X, Cui D, Cao D, Kuang T, Ma X, Wang W. Chemical Micromotors Move Faster at Oil-Water Interfaces. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:4221-4233. [PMID: 38305127 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c13743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Many real-world scenarios involve interfaces, particularly liquid-liquid interfaces, that can fundamentally alter the dynamics of colloids. This is poorly understood for chemically active colloids that release chemicals into their environment. We report here the surprising discovery that chemical micromotors─colloids that convert chemical fuels into self-propulsion─move significantly faster at an oil-water interface than on a glass substrate. Typical speed increases ranged from 3 to 6 times up to an order of magnitude and were observed for different types of chemical motors and interfaces made with different oils. Such speed increases are likely caused by faster chemical reactions at an oil-water interface than at a glass-water interface, but the exact mechanism remains unknown. Our results provide valuable insights into the complex interactions between chemical micromotors and their environments, which are important for applications in the human body or in the removal of organic pollutants from water. In addition, this study also suggests that chemical reactions occur faster at an oil-water interface and that micromotors can serve as a probe for such an effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhou Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zuyao Yan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shifang Duan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiaowen Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Donghao Cui
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Dezhou Cao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ting Kuang
- Education Center of Experiments and Innovations, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xing Ma
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
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4
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Chen Q, Liu FW, Cho SK, Kim K. 3-D real-time ultrasound tracking of acoustically actuated swimming microdrone. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1547. [PMID: 38233589 PMCID: PMC10794230 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52044-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Maneuverable microswimmers/microdrones that navigate in hard-to-reach spaces inside human bodies hold a great potential for various biomedical applications. Acoustically actuated microswimmers have already demonstrated feasibility. However, for eventual translation of this technology, a robust 3-D tracking strategy for the microswimmer is particularly required. This paper presents our lab-designed 3-D ultrasound tracking system for real-time tracking of an acoustically actuated 3-D swimming microdrone. The ultrasound tracking system utilizing two ultrasound probes, a step motor and a host controller, was built to track the 3-D arbitrary motion of the microdrone in real-time. The performance of tracking was evaluated in the benchtop experiments by comparing the reconstructed trajectories with synchronized camera recordings. The ultrasound tracking system showed high reliability, with an average error of less than 0.3 mm across six different trials when compared to camera tracking. The results demonstrated the capability of our lab-designed 3-D ultrasound tracking system in accurately tracking the undetermined motion of the acoustic actuated 3-D swimming microdrone in real-time. The developed tracking system holds promise as a potential approach for biomedical applications and could pave the way for future clinical translation of the microswimmer technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiyang Chen
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 623A Scaife Hall, 3550 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- Center for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine & Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Fang-Wei Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Sung Kwon Cho
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Kang Kim
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 623A Scaife Hall, 3550 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- Center for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine & Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA.
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5
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Frank B, Antonietti M, Giusto P, Zeininger L. Photocharging of Carbon Nitride Thin Films for Controllable Manipulation of Droplet Force Gradient Sensors. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145. [PMID: 37934048 PMCID: PMC10655103 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Intentional generation, amplification, and discharging of chemical gradients is central to many nano- and micromanipulative technologies. We describe a straightforward strategy to direct chemical gradients inside a solution via local photoelectric surface charging of organic semiconducting thin films. We observed that the irradiation of carbon nitride thin films with ultraviolet light generates local and sustained surface charges in illuminated regions, inducing chemical gradients in adjacent solutions via charge-selective immobilization of surfactants onto the substrate. We studied these gradients using droplet force gradient sensors, complex emulsions with simultaneous and independent responsive modalities to transduce information on transient gradients in temperature, chemistry, and concentration via tilting, morphological reconfiguration, and chemotaxis. Fine control over the interaction between local, photoelectrically patterned, semiconducting carbon nitride thin films and their environment yields a new method to design chemomechanically responsive materials, potentially applicable to micromanipulative technologies including microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip devices, soft robotics, biochemical assays, and the sorting of colloids and cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley
D. Frank
- Department of Colloid Chemistry, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Markus Antonietti
- Department of Colloid Chemistry, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Paolo Giusto
- Department of Colloid Chemistry, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Lukas Zeininger
- Department of Colloid Chemistry, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
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6
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Wrede P, Aghakhani A, Bozuyuk U, Yildiz E, Sitti M. Acoustic Trapping and Manipulation of Hollow Microparticles under Fluid Flow Using a Single-Lens Focused Ultrasound Transducer. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15. [PMID: 37917969 PMCID: PMC10658455 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c11656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Microparticle manipulation and trapping play pivotal roles in biotechnology. To achieve effective manipulation within fluidic flow conditions and confined spaces, it is necessary to consider the physical properties of microparticles and the types of trapping forces applied. While acoustic waves have shown potential for manipulating microparticles, the existing setups involve complex actuation mechanisms and unstable microbubbles. Consequently, the need persists for an easily deployable acoustic actuation setup with stable microparticles. Here, we propose the use of hollow borosilicate microparticles possessing a rigid thin shell, which can be efficiently trapped and manipulated using a single-lens focused ultrasound (FUS) transducer under physiologically relevant flow conditions. These hollow microparticles offer stability and advantageous acoustic properties. They can be scaled up and mass-produced, making them suitable for systemic delivery. Our research demonstrates the successful trapping dynamics of FUS within circular tubings of varying diameters, validating the effectiveness of the method under realistic flow rates and ultrasound amplitudes. We also showcase the ability to remove hollow microparticles by steering the FUS transducer against the flow. Furthermore, we present potential biomedical applications, such as active cell tagging and navigation in bifurcated channels as well as ultrasound imaging in mouse cadaver liver tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Wrede
- Physical
Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute
for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Amirreza Aghakhani
- Physical
Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute
for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute
of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Ugur Bozuyuk
- Physical
Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute
for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Erdost Yildiz
- Physical
Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute
for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical
Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute
for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute
for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
- School
of Medicine and School of Engineering, Koç
University, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey
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7
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Xu R, Xu Q. Design of a Bio-Inspired Untethered Soft Octopodal Robot Driven by Magnetic Field. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:269. [PMID: 37504157 PMCID: PMC10376972 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8030269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Inspired by insects in nature, an increasing number of soft robots have been proposed to mimic their locomotion patterns. As a wireless actuation method, the magnetic actuation technique has been widely applied to drive soft magnetic robots for diverse applications. Although recent works on soft materials have stimulated the development of soft robots, it is challenging to achieve the efficient movement of soft robots for in vivo biomedical application. Inspired by centipede locomotion, a soft octopodal robot is designed in this paper. The robot is fabricated by mixing magnetic particles with silicone polymers, which is then magnetized by a specific magnetic field. The prototypes can be actuated by an external magnetic field (5-8 mT) produced by custom-made electromagnetic coils. Experimental results show that the soft robot can move at a high speed in the range of 0.536-1.604 mm/s on different surfaces, including paper, wood, and PMMA. This indicates that the soft robot can achieve comparable speeds to other robots, while being driven by a lower magnitude, resulting in energy savings. Furthermore, it achieves a high speed of 0.823 mm/s on the surface of a pig colon. The fine capabilities of the soft robot in terms of crossing uneven biological surfaces and carrying external loads are demonstrated. The results indicate that the reported soft robot exhibits promising applications in the biomedical field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruomeng Xu
- Department of Electromechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
| | - Qingsong Xu
- Department of Electromechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
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8
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Gouder A, Podjaski F, Jiménez-Solano A, Kröger J, Wang Y, Lotsch BV. An integrated solar battery based on a charge storing 2D carbon nitride. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 2023; 16:1520-1530. [PMID: 37063253 PMCID: PMC10091497 DOI: 10.1039/d2ee03409c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Solar batteries capable of harvesting sunlight and storing solar energy present an attractive vista to transition our energy infrastructure into a sustainable future. Here we present an integrated, fully earth-abundant solar battery based on a bifunctional (light absorbing and charge storing) carbon nitride (K-PHI) photoanode, combined with organic hole transfer and storage materials. An internal ladder-type hole transfer cascade via a transport layer is used to selectively shuttle the photogenerated holes to the PEDOT:PSS cathode. This concept differs from previous designs such as light-assisted battery schemes or photocapacitors and allows charging with light during both electrical charge and discharge, thus substantially increasing the energy output of the cell. Compared to battery operation in the dark, light-assisted (dis)charging increases charge output by 243%, thereby increasing the electric coulombic efficiency from 68.3% in the dark to 231%, leading to energy improvements of 94.1% under illumination. This concept opens new vistas towards compact, highly integrated devices based on multifunctional, carbon-based electrodes and separators, and paves the way to a new generation of earth-abundant solar batteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Gouder
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research Heisenbergstr. 1 70569 Stuttgart Germany
- Department Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Butenandstraße 5-13 81377 Munich Germany
| | - F Podjaski
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research Heisenbergstr. 1 70569 Stuttgart Germany
| | - A Jiménez-Solano
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research Heisenbergstr. 1 70569 Stuttgart Germany
- Departamento de Física, Universidad de Córdoba Campus de Rabanales, Edif. Einstein (C2) 14071 Córdoba Spain
| | - J Kröger
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research Heisenbergstr. 1 70569 Stuttgart Germany
| | - Y Wang
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research Heisenbergstr. 1 70569 Stuttgart Germany
| | - B V Lotsch
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research Heisenbergstr. 1 70569 Stuttgart Germany
- Department Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Butenandstraße 5-13 81377 Munich Germany
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9
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Sridhar V, Yildiz E, Rodríguez-Camargo A, Lyu X, Yao L, Wrede P, Aghakhani A, Akolpoglu BM, Podjaski F, Lotsch BV, Sitti M. Designing Covalent Organic Framework-Based Light-Driven Microswimmers toward Therapeutic Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023:e2301126. [PMID: 37003701 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202301126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
While micromachines with tailored functionalities enable therapeutic applications in biological environments, their controlled motion and targeted drug delivery in biological media require sophisticated designs for practical applications. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), a new generation of crystalline and nanoporous polymers, offer new perspectives for light-driven microswimmers in heterogeneous biological environments including intraocular fluids, thus setting the stage for biomedical applications such as retinal drug delivery. Two different types of COFs, uniformly spherical TABP-PDA-COF sub-micrometer particles and texturally nanoporous, micrometer-sized TpAzo-COF particles are described and compared as light-driven microrobots. They can be used as highly efficient visible-light-driven drug carriers in aqueous ionic and cellular media. Their absorption ranging down to red light enables phototaxis even in deeper and viscous biological media, while the organic nature of COFs ensures their biocompatibility. Their inherently porous structures with ≈2.6 and ≈3.4 nm pores, and large surface areas allow for targeted and efficient drug loading even for insoluble drugs, which can be released on demand. Additionally, indocyanine green (ICG) dye loading in the pores enables photoacoustic imaging, optical coherence tomography, and hyperthermia in operando conditions. This real-time visualization of the drug-loaded COF microswimmers enables unique insights into the action of photoactive porous drug carriers for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun Sridhar
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Erdost Yildiz
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Andrés Rodríguez-Camargo
- Nanochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Xianglong Lyu
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Liang Yao
- Nanochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Paul Wrede
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Amirreza Aghakhani
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Birgul M Akolpoglu
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Filip Podjaski
- Nanochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, W12 0BZ, London, UK
| | - Bettina V Lotsch
- Nanochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence e-conversion, 85748, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, Garching, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Munich (LMU), 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
- School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
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10
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Zhang D, Gorochowski TE, Marucci L, Lee HT, Gil B, Li B, Hauert S, Yeatman E. Advanced medical micro-robotics for early diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. Front Robot AI 2023; 9:1086043. [PMID: 36704240 PMCID: PMC9871318 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2022.1086043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent technological advances in micro-robotics have demonstrated their immense potential for biomedical applications. Emerging micro-robots have versatile sensing systems, flexible locomotion and dexterous manipulation capabilities that can significantly contribute to the healthcare system. Despite the appreciated and tangible benefits of medical micro-robotics, many challenges still remain. Here, we review the major challenges, current trends and significant achievements for developing versatile and intelligent micro-robotics with a focus on applications in early diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. We also consider some recent emerging micro-robotic technologies that employ synthetic biology to support a new generation of living micro-robots. We expect to inspire future development of micro-robots toward clinical translation by identifying the roadblocks that need to be overcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Zhang
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom,Bristol Robotics Laboratory, Bristol, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Dandan Zhang ,
| | - Thomas E. Gorochowski
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom,BrisEngBio, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Lucia Marucci
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom,BrisEngBio, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Hyun-Taek Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Bruno Gil
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bing Li
- The Institute for Materials Discovery, University College London, London, United Kingdom,Department of Brain Science, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom,Care Research & Technology Centre, UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sabine Hauert
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom,Bristol Robotics Laboratory, Bristol, United Kingdom,BrisEngBio, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Eric Yeatman
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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11
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Wang J, Dong Y, Ma P, Wang Y, Zhang F, Cai B, Chen P, Liu BF. Intelligent Micro-/Nanorobots for Cancer Theragnostic. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2201051. [PMID: 35385160 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202201051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the most intractable diseases owing to its high mortality rate and lack of effective diagnostic and treatment tools. Advancements in micro-/nanorobot (MNR)-assisted sensing, imaging, and therapeutics offer unprecedented opportunities to develop MNR-based cancer theragnostic platforms. Unlike ordinary nanoparticles, which exhibit Brownian motion in biofluids, MNRs overcome viscous resistance in an ultralow Reynolds number (Re << 1) environment by effective self-propulsion. This unique locomotion property has motivated the advanced design and functionalization of MNRs as a basis for next-generation cancer-therapy platforms, which offer the potential for precise distribution and improved permeation of therapeutic agents. Enhanced barrier penetration, imaging-guided operation, and biosensing are additionally studied to enable the promising cancer-related applications of MNRs. Herein, the recent advances in MNR-based cancer therapy are comprehensively addresses, including actuation engines, diagnostics, medical imaging, and targeted drug delivery; promising research opportunities that can have a profound impact on cancer therapy over the next decade is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China
| | - Yue Dong
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China
| | - Peng Ma
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China
| | - Yu Wang
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China
| | - Fangyu Zhang
- Department of Nano Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Bocheng Cai
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Peng Chen
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China
| | - Bi-Feng Liu
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China
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12
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Palacios-Corella M, Rojas D, Pumera M. Photocatalytic Pt/Ag3VO4 micromotors with inherent sensing capabilities for corroding environments. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 631:125-134. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.10.169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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13
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Bailey MR, Sprenger AR, Grillo F, Löwen H, Isa L. Fitting an active Brownian particle's mean-squared displacement with improved parameter estimation. Phys Rev E 2022; 106:L052602. [PMID: 36559483 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.106.l052602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The active Brownian particle (ABP) model is widely used to describe the dynamics of active matter systems, such as Janus microswimmers. In particular, the analytical expression for an ABP's mean-squared displacement (MSD) is useful as it provides a means to describe the essential physics of a self-propelled, spherical Brownian particle. However, the truncated or "short-time" form of the MSD equation is typically fitted, which can lead to significant problems in parameter estimation. Furthermore, heteroscedasticity and the often statistically dependent observations of an ABP's MSD lead to a situation where standard ordinary least-squares regression leads to biased estimates and unreliable confidence intervals. Instead, we propose here to revert to always fitting the full expression of an ABP's MSD at short timescales, using bootstrapping to construct confidence intervals of the fitted parameters. Additionally, after comparison between different fitting strategies, we propose to extract the physical parameters of an ABP using its mean logarithmic squared displacement. These steps improve the estimation of an ABP's physical properties and provide more reliable confidence intervals, which are critical in the context of a growing interest in the interactions of microswimmers with confining boundaries and the influence on their motion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian R Bailey
- Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexander R Sprenger
- Institut für Theoretische Physik II: Weiche Materie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institut für Physik, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Fabio Grillo
- Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hartmut Löwen
- Institut für Theoretische Physik II: Weiche Materie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lucio Isa
- Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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14
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Abstract
Microrobots have attracted the attention of scientists owing to their unique features to accomplish tasks in hard-to-reach sites in the human body. Microrobots can be precisely actuated and maneuvered individually or in a swarm for cargo delivery, sampling, surgery, and imaging applications. In addition, microrobots have found applications in the environmental sector (e.g., water treatment). Besides, recent advancements of three-dimensional (3D) printers have enabled the high-resolution fabrication of microrobots with a faster design-production turnaround time for users with limited micromanufacturing skills. Here, the latest end applications of 3D printed microrobots are reviewed (ranging from environmental to biomedical applications) along with a brief discussion over the feasible actuation methods (e.g., on- and off-board), and practical 3D printing technologies for microrobot fabrication. In addition, as a future perspective, we discussed the potential advantages of integration of microrobots with smart materials, and conceivable benefits of implementation of artificial intelligence (AI), as well as physical intelligence (PI). Moreover, in order to facilitate bench-to-bedside translation of microrobots, current challenges impeding clinical translation of microrobots are elaborated, including entry obstacles (e.g., immune system attacks) and cumbersome standard test procedures to ensure biocompatibility. Microbots have attracted attention due to an ability to reach places and perform tasks which are not possible with conventional techniques in a wide range of applications. Here, the authors review the recent work in the field on the fabrication, application and actuation of 3D printed microbots offering a view of the direction of future microbot research.
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15
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Feng K, Gong J, Qu J, Niu R. Dual-Mode-Driven Micromotor Based on Foam-like Carbon Nitride and Fe 3O 4 with Improved Manipulation and Photocatalytic Performance. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:44271-44281. [PMID: 36150032 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c10590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Micro/nanomotors have emerged as a vibrant research topic in biomedical and environmental fields due to their attractive self-propulsion as well as small-scale functionalities. However, single actuated micro/nanomotors are not adaptive in facing intricate natural and industrial environments. Herein, we propose a new dual-mode-driven micromotor based on foam-like carbon nitride (f-C3N4) with precipitated Fe3O4 nanoparticles, namely, Fe3O4/f-C3N4, powered by chemical/magnetic stimuli for rapid reduction of organic pollutants. The Fe3O4/f-C3N4 motor composed of a three-dimensional (3D) porous "foam-like" structure and precipitated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (ca. 50 nm) not only exhibits efficient photocatalytic performance under visible light but also shows versatile and programmable motion behavior under the control of external magnetic fields. The aggregation of the micromotor under an external rotating magnetic field further enhances the catalytic activity by the increased local catalyst concentration. Furthermore, the magnetic property endows the micromotor with easy recyclability. This study provides a novel dual-mode-driven micromotor for antibiotics removal with magnetic field and light-enhanced performance in industrial wastewater treatment at a low cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Feng
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, Semiconductor Chemistry Center, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Jiang Gong
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, Semiconductor Chemistry Center, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Jinping Qu
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, Semiconductor Chemistry Center, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Novel Equipment for Polymer Processing, Key Laboratory of Polymer Processing Engineering, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Technique and Equipment for Macromolecular Advanced Manufacturing, School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
| | - Ran Niu
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, Semiconductor Chemistry Center, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
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16
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Zhou LM, Shi Y, Zhu X, Hu G, Cao G, Hu J, Qiu CW. Recent Progress on Optical Micro/Nanomanipulations: Structured Forces, Structured Particles, and Synergetic Applications. ACS NANO 2022; 16:13264-13278. [PMID: 36053722 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c05634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Optical manipulation has achieved great success in the fields of biology, micro/nano robotics and physical sciences in the past few decades. To date, the optical manipulation is still witnessing substantial progress powered by the growing accessibility of the complex light field, advanced nanofabrication and developed understandings of light-matter interactions. In this perspective, we highlight recent advancements of optical micro/nanomanipulations in cutting-edge applications, which can be fostered by structured optical forces enabled with diverse auxiliary multiphysical field/forces and structured particles. We conclude with our vision of ongoing and futuristic directions, including heat-avoided and heat-utilized manipulation, nonlinearity-mediated trapping and manipulation, metasurface/two-dimensional material based optical manipulation, as well as interface-based optical manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei-Ming Zhou
- Department of Optical Engineering, School of Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Yuzhi Shi
- Institute of Precision Optical Engineering, School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro-Structured Materials, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhu
- Department of Optical Engineering, School of Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Guangwei Hu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
| | - Guangtao Cao
- School of Physics and Electronic Sciences, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
| | - Jigang Hu
- Department of Optical Engineering, School of Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Cheng-Wei Qiu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
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17
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Han D, Yang H, Zhou Z, Wu K, Ma J, Fang Y, Hong Q, Xi G, Liu S, Shen Y, Zhang Y. Photoelectron Storages in Functionalized Carbon Nitrides for Colorimetric Sensing of Oxygen. ACS Sens 2022; 7:2328-2337. [PMID: 35912931 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.2c00961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Colorimetric sensors have been widely used for centuries across diverse fields, thanks to their easy operation and uncompromisingly high sensitivity with no need for electricity. However, it is still a great challenge for conventional chromogenic systems to perform multiple measurements meanwhile maintaining high robustness. Here, we reported that carbon nitrides (CNs), the raw materials that are abundant, structure-tunable, and stable semiconductors with photoelectron storage capability, can be developed as a chromogenic system for colorimetric sensors. Beyond conventional metal oxides that only demonstrated a single blue-color switch after photoelectron storage, CN exhibited a multicolor switch under identical conditions owing to the unusual multiple photoelectron storage pathways. Mechanism studies revealed cyano and carbonyl groups in CN crucially elongated the centroid distance of electrons/holes, which exclusively stabilized the specific excited states that have different light absorption; meanwhile, the counter cations strengthened these processes. As a result, O2, a proof-of-concept analyte, was quantitatively detected by the CN-derived colorimetric sensor, showing high reversibility in hundreds of cycles and adaptable sensitivity/detection range, outperforming most reported and commercial oxygen sensors. These intriguing features of CN are highly envisioned for the next generation of colorimetric sensors, especially in developing countries or fieldworks, to improve the detection reliability and lower the sensing cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Han
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, Jiangsu Province Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, Jiangsu Province Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Zhixin Zhou
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, Jiangsu Province Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Kaiqing Wu
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, Jiangsu Province Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Jin Ma
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, Jiangsu Province Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yanfeng Fang
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, Jiangsu Province Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Qing Hong
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, Jiangsu Province Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Guangcheng Xi
- Institute of Industrial and Consumer Product Safety, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, P. R. China
| | - Songqin Liu
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, Jiangsu Province Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yanfei Shen
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, Jiangsu Province Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yuanjian Zhang
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Smart Carbon-Rich Materials and Device, Jiangsu Province Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
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18
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Gouder A, Jiménez-Solano A, Vargas-Barbosa NM, Podjaski F, Lotsch BV. Photomemristive sensing via charge storage in 2D carbon nitrides. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2022; 9:1866-1877. [PMID: 35475438 PMCID: PMC9252257 DOI: 10.1039/d2mh00069e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Photomemristive sensors have the potential to innovate current photo-electrochemical sensors by incorporating new sensing capabilities including non-invasive, wireless and time-delayed (memory) readout. Here we report the charge storing 2D carbon nitride potassium poly(heptazine imide), K-PHI, as a direct photomemristive sensing platform by capitalizing on K-PHI's visible light bandgap, large oxidation potential, and intrinsic optoionic charge storage properties. Utilizing the light-induced charge storage function of K-PHI nanosheets, we demonstrate memory sensing via charge accumulation and present potentiometric, impedimetric and coulometric readouts to write/erase this information from the material, with no additional reagents required. Additionally, wireless colorimetric and fluorometric detection of the charging state of K-PHI nanoparticles is demonstrated, enabling the material's use as particle-based autonomous sensing probe in situ. The various readout options of K-PHI's response enable us to adapt the sensitivities and dynamic ranges without modifying the sensing platform, which is demonstrated using glucose as a model analyte over a wide range of concentrations (50 μM to 50 mM). Since K-PHI is earth abundant, biocompatible, chemically robust and responsive to visible light, we anticipate that the photomemristive sensing platform presented herein opens up memristive and neuromorphic functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Gouder
- Department Nanochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
- Department Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Alberto Jiménez-Solano
- Department Nanochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Nella M Vargas-Barbosa
- Institute for Energy and Climate Research (IEK-12), Helmholtz Institute Münster, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Corrensstr. 46, 48148 Münster, Germany
| | - Filip Podjaski
- Department Nanochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Bettina V Lotsch
- Department Nanochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
- Department Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany
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19
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Aghakhani A, Pena-Francesch A, Bozuyuk U, Cetin H, Wrede P, Sitti M. High shear rate propulsion of acoustic microrobots in complex biological fluids. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm5126. [PMID: 35275716 PMCID: PMC8916727 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm5126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Untethered microrobots offer a great promise for localized targeted therapy in hard-to-access spaces in our body. Despite recent advancements, most microrobot propulsion capabilities have been limited to homogenous Newtonian fluids. However, the biological fluids present in our body are heterogeneous and have shear rate-dependent rheological properties, which limit the propulsion of microrobots using conventional designs and actuation methods. We propose an acoustically powered microrobotic system, consisting of a three-dimensionally printed 30-micrometer-diameter hollow body with an oscillatory microbubble, to generate high shear rate fluidic flow for propulsion in complex biofluids. The acoustically induced microstreaming flow leads to distinct surface-slipping and puller-type propulsion modes in Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, respectively. We demonstrate efficient propulsion of the microrobots in diverse biological fluids, including in vitro navigation through mucus layers on biologically relevant three-dimensional surfaces. The microrobot design and high shear rate propulsion mechanism discussed herein could open new possibilities to deploy microrobots in complex biofluids toward minimally invasive targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirreza Aghakhani
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Abdon Pena-Francesch
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Robotics Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ugur Bozuyuk
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich,, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hakan Cetin
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, Özyegin University, 34794 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Paul Wrede
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich,, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
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20
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Li X, Chen L, Cui D, Jiang W, Han L, Niu N. Preparation and application of Janus nanoparticles: Recent development and prospects. Coord Chem Rev 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2021.214318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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21
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Oral CM, Ussia M, Yavuz DK, Pumera M. Shape Engineering of TiO 2 Microrobots for "On-the-Fly" Optical Brake. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2106271. [PMID: 34921590 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202106271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Hybrid microrobots have recently attracted attention due to their ability to combine different energy sources and/or external stimuli for propulsion and performing desired tasks. Despite progresses in the past, on-demand speed modulation for hybrid microrobots has not been analyzed in detail. Herein, the influence of surface properties and crystallite size on the propulsion mechanism of Pt/TiO2 chemical/light-driven hybrid microrobots is investigated. The morphology of urchin-like Pt/TiO2 microrobots leads to "on-the-fly" optical brake behavior under UV irradiation. In contrast, smooth Pt/TiO2 microrobots demonstrate accelerated motion in the same conditions. The comparison between two types of microrobots also indicates the significance of a high surface area and a high crystallite size to increase their speed. The results demonstrate the profound impact of surface features for next-generation smart micro/nanorobots with on-demand reaction capability in dynamically changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cagatay M Oral
- Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, Brno, 61200, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Ussia
- Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, Brno, 61200, Czech Republic
| | - Derya Kapusuz Yavuz
- Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Gaziantep University, Universite Blvd, Sehitkamil, Gaziantep, 27310, Turkey
| | - Martin Pumera
- Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, Brno, 61200, Czech Republic
- Center for Nanorobotics and Machine Intelligence, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno, 61300, Czech Republic
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, No. 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Korea
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22
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Kröger J, Podjaski F, Savasci G, Moudrakovski I, Jiménez-Solano A, Terban MW, Bette S, Duppel V, Joos M, Senocrate A, Dinnebier R, Ochsenfeld C, Lotsch BV. Conductivity Mechanism in Ionic 2D Carbon Nitrides: From Hydrated Ion Motion to Enhanced Photocatalysis. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2107061. [PMID: 34870342 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202107061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Carbon nitrides are among the most studied materials for photocatalysis; however, limitations arise from inefficient charge separation and transport within the material. Here, this aspect is addressed in the 2D carbon nitride poly(heptazine imide) (PHI) by investigating the influence of various counterions, such as M = Li+ , Na+ , K+ , Cs+ , Ba2+ , NH4 + , and tetramethyl ammonium, on the material's conductivity and photocatalytic activity. These ions in the PHI pores affect the stacking of the 2D layers, which further influences the predominantly ionic conductivity in M-PHI. Na-containing PHI outperforms the other M-PHIs in various relative humidity (RH) environments (0-42%RH) in terms of conductivity, likely due to pore-channel geometry and size of the (hydrated) ion. With increasing RH, the ionic conductivity increases by 4-5 orders of magnitude (for Na-PHI up to 10-5 S cm-1 at 42%RH). At the same time, the highest photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate is observed for Na-PHI, which is mirrored by increased photogenerated charge-carrier lifetimes, pointing to efficient charge-carrier stabilization by, e.g., mobile ions. These results indicate that also ionic conductivity is an important parameter that can influence the photocatalytic activity. Besides, RH-dependent ionic conductivity is of high interest for separators, membranes, or sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kröger
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Munich, LMU, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence E-Conversion, Lichtenbergstr. 4a, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Filip Podjaski
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence E-Conversion, Lichtenbergstr. 4a, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Gökcen Savasci
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Munich, LMU, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence E-Conversion, Lichtenbergstr. 4a, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Igor Moudrakovski
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Alberto Jiménez-Solano
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Maxwell W Terban
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sebastian Bette
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Viola Duppel
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Markus Joos
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Alessandro Senocrate
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Robert Dinnebier
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Christian Ochsenfeld
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Munich, LMU, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence E-Conversion, Lichtenbergstr. 4a, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Bettina V Lotsch
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstr. 1, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Munich, LMU, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence E-Conversion, Lichtenbergstr. 4a, 85748, Garching, Germany
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23
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Sridhar V, Podjaski F, Alapan Y, Kröger J, Grunenberg L, Kishore V, Lotsch BV, Sitti M. Light-driven carbon nitride microswimmers with propulsion in biological and ionic media and responsive on-demand drug delivery. Sci Robot 2022; 7:eabm1421. [PMID: 35044799 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.abm1421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
We propose two-dimensional poly(heptazine imide) (PHI) carbon nitride microparticles as light-driven microswimmers in various ionic and biological media. Their high-speed (15 to 23 micrometer per second; 9.5 ± 5.4 body lengths per second) swimming in multicomponent ionic solutions with concentrations up to 5 M and without dedicated fuels is demonstrated, overcoming one of the bottlenecks of previous light-driven microswimmers. Such high ion tolerance is attributed to a favorable interplay between the particle's textural and structural nanoporosity and optoionic properties, facilitating ionic interactions in solutions with high salinity. Biocompatibility of these microswimmers is validated by cell viability tests with three different cell lines and primary cells. The nanopores of the swimmers are loaded with a model cancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX), resulting in a high (185%) loading efficiency without passive release. Controlled drug release is reported under different pH conditions and can be triggered on-demand by illumination. Light-triggered, boosted release of DOX and its active degradation products are demonstrated under oxygen-poor conditions using the intrinsic, environmentally sensitive and light-induced charge storage properties of PHI, which could enable future theranostic applications in oxygen-deprived tumor regions. These organic PHI microswimmers simultaneously address the current light-driven microswimmer challenges of high ion tolerance, fuel-free high-speed propulsion in biological media, biocompatibility, and controlled on-demand cargo release toward their biomedical, environmental, and other potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun Sridhar
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Filip Podjaski
- Nanochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Yunus Alapan
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Julia Kröger
- Nanochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Lars Grunenberg
- Nanochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Vimal Kishore
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.,Department of Physics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Bettina V Lotsch
- Nanochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence e-conversion, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.,School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
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24
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Pané S, Wendel-Garcia P, Belce Y, Chen XZ, Puigmartí-Luis J. Powering and Fabrication of Small-Scale Robotics Systems. CURRENT ROBOTICS REPORTS 2022; 2:427-440. [PMID: 35036926 PMCID: PMC8721937 DOI: 10.1007/s43154-021-00066-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of Review The increasing number of contributions in the field of small-scale robotics is significantly associated with the progress in material science and process engineering during the last half century. With the objective of integrating the most optimal materials for the propulsion of these motile micro- and nanosystems, several manufacturing strategies have been adopted or specifically developed. This brief review covers some recent advances in materials and fabrication of small-scale robots with a focus on the materials serving as components for their motion and actuation. Recent Findings Integration of a wealth of materials is now possible in several micro- and nanorobotic designs owing to the advances in micro- and nanofabrication and chemical synthesis. Regarding light-driven swimmers, novel photocatalytic materials and deformable liquid crystal elastomers have been recently reported. Acoustic swimmers are also gaining attention, with several prominent examples of acoustic bubble-based 3D swimmers being recently reported. Magnetic micro- and nanorobots are increasingly investigated for their prospective use in biomedical applications. The adoption of different materials and novel fabrication strategies based on 3D printing, template-assisted electrodeposition, or electrospinning is briefly discussed. Summary A brief review on fabrication and powering of small-scale robotics is presented. First, a concise introduction to the world of small-scale robotics and their propulsion by means of magnetic fields, ultrasound, and light is provided. Recent examples of materials and fabrication methodologies for the realization of these devices follow thereafter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvador Pané
- Multi-Scale Robotics Lab (MSRL), Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems (IRIS), ETH Zurich, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Wendel-Garcia
- Institute of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Yonca Belce
- Departament de Ciència Dels Materials I Química Física, Institut de Química Teòrica I Computacional, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xiang-Zhong Chen
- Multi-Scale Robotics Lab (MSRL), Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems (IRIS), ETH Zurich, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Josep Puigmartí-Luis
- Departament de Ciència Dels Materials I Química Física, Institut de Química Teòrica I Computacional, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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25
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Abstract
Inspired by the increasing desire to mimic the perfection of nature, micro- and nanorobots are triggering increasing interest among the scientific community. The development of such tiny machines that can autonomously perform specific and various tasks at a small scale has reached a high-level of complexity over the last 15 years although the transition from hard to soft self-propelled architectures has had the most profound impact. The use of organic components, such as polymers, is of particular interest to fulfill the lack of biocompatibility and biodegradability of inorganic-based microrobots. Additionally, the combination of self-powered micro- and nanorobots with some macromolecules' ability to be deformed and respond to external stimuli is an important topic. This review aims to critically assess the fundamental aspects of smart machines composed of polymers, examine recent advances in the combined systems at the micro- and nanoscale, and discuss the specific contribution of several polymer families. This review elucidates the role of smart polymers in the expanding field of intelligent micromachines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Ussia
- Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 656/123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Martin Pumera
- Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 656/123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic. .,Center for Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technicka 5, 16628, Czech Republic.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 03722, South Korea.,Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, No. 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
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26
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Wang Z, Xu Z, Zhu B, Zhang Y, Lin J, Wu Y, Wu D. Design, fabrication and application of magnetically actuated micro/nanorobots: a review. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 33:152001. [PMID: 34915458 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ac43e6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Magnetically actuated micro/nanorobots are typical micro- and nanoscale artificial devices with favorable attributes of quick response, remote and contactless control, harmless human-machine interaction and high economic efficiency. Under external magnetic actuation strategies, they are capable of achieving elaborate manipulation and navigation in extreme biomedical environments. This review focuses on state-of-the-art progresses in design strategies, fabrication techniques and applications of magnetically actuated micro/nanorobots. Firstly, recent advances of various robot designs, including helical robots, surface walkers, ciliary robots, scaffold robots and biohybrid robots, are discussed separately. Secondly, the main progresses of common fabrication techniques are respectively introduced, and application achievements on these robots in targeted drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery and cell manipulation are also presented. Finally, a short summary is made, and the current challenges and future work for magnetically actuated micro/nanorobots are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongbao Wang
- Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, 518057, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenjin Xu
- Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, 518057, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, 518057, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, 518057, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiawei Lin
- Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, 518057, People's Republic of China
| | - Yigen Wu
- Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, 518057, People's Republic of China
| | - Dezhi Wu
- Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, 518057, People's Republic of China
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27
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Abstract
Intelligence of physical agents, such as human-made (e.g., robots, autonomous cars) and biological (e.g., animals, plants) ones, is not only enabled by their computational intelligence (CI) in their brain, but also by their physical intelligence (PI) encoded in their body. Therefore, it is essential to advance the PI of human-made agents as much as possible, in addition to their CI, to operate them in unstructured and complex real-world environments like the biological agents. This article gives a perspective on what PI paradigm is, when PI can be more significant and dominant in physical and biological agents at different length scales and how bioinspired and abstract PI methods can be created in agent bodies. PI paradigm aims to synergize and merge many research fields, such as mechanics, materials science, robotics, mechanical design, fluidics, active matter, biology, self-assembly and collective systems, to enable advanced PI capabilities in human-made agent bodies, comparable to the ones observed in biological organisms. Such capabilities would progress the future robots and other machines beyond what can be realized using the current frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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28
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Beladi-Mousavi SM, Hermanová S, Ying Y, Plutnar J, Pumera M. A Maze in Plastic Wastes: Autonomous Motile Photocatalytic Microrobots against Microplastics. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:25102-25110. [PMID: 34009926 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c04559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
An extremely high quantity of small pieces of synthetic polymers, namely, microplastics, has been recently identified in some of the most intact natural environments, e.g., on top of the Alps and Antarctic ice. This is a "scary wake-up call", considering the potential risks of microplastics for humans and marine systems. Sunlight-driven photocatalysis is the most energy-efficient currently known strategy for plastic degradation; however, attaining efficient photocatalyst-plastic interaction and thus an effective charge transfer in the micro/nanoscale is very difficult; that adds up to the common challenges of heterogeneous photocatalysis including low solubility, precipitation, and aggregation of the photocatalysts. Here, an active photocatalytic degradation procedure based on intelligent visible-light-driven microrobots with the capability of capturing and degrading microplastics "on-the-fly" in a complex multichannel maze is introduced. The robots with hybrid powers carry built-in photocatalytic (BiVO4) and magnetic (Fe3O4) materials allowing a self-propelled motion under sunlight with the possibility of precise actuation under a magnetic field inside the macrochannels. The photocatalytic robots are able to efficiently degrade different synthetic microplastics, particularly polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, thanks to the generated local self-stirring effect in the nanoscale and enhanced interaction with microplastics without using any exterior mechanical stirrers, typically used in conventional systems. Overall, this proof-of-concept study using microrobots with hybrid wireless powers has shown for the first time the possibility of efficient degradation of ultrasmall plastic particles in confined complex spaces, which can impact research on microplastic treatments, with the final goal of diminishing microplastics as an emergent threat for humans and marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyyed Mohsen Beladi-Mousavi
- Center for the Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, 16628 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Soňa Hermanová
- Center for the Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, 16628 Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Polymers, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 16628 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Yulong Ying
- Center for the Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, 16628 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Plutnar
- Center for the Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, 16628 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Pumera
- Center for the Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, 16628 Prague, Czech Republic
- Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 123, 61200 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno CZ-613 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, No. 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
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29
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Abstract
![]()
Manipulation and navigation of micro
and nanoswimmers in different
fluid environments can be achieved by chemicals, external fields,
or even motile cells. Many researchers have selected magnetic fields
as the active external actuation source based on the advantageous
features of this actuation strategy such as remote and spatiotemporal
control, fuel-free, high degree of reconfigurability, programmability,
recyclability, and versatility. This review introduces fundamental
concepts and advantages of magnetic micro/nanorobots (termed here
as “MagRobots”) as well as basic knowledge of magnetic
fields and magnetic materials, setups for magnetic manipulation, magnetic
field configurations, and symmetry-breaking strategies for effective
movement. These concepts are discussed to describe the interactions
between micro/nanorobots and magnetic fields. Actuation mechanisms
of flagella-inspired MagRobots (i.e., corkscrew-like motion and traveling-wave
locomotion/ciliary stroke motion) and surface walkers (i.e., surface-assisted
motion), applications of magnetic fields in other propulsion approaches,
and magnetic stimulation of micro/nanorobots beyond motion are provided
followed by fabrication techniques for (quasi-)spherical, helical,
flexible, wire-like, and biohybrid MagRobots. Applications of MagRobots
in targeted drug/gene delivery, cell manipulation, minimally invasive
surgery, biopsy, biofilm disruption/eradication, imaging-guided delivery/therapy/surgery,
pollution removal for environmental remediation, and (bio)sensing
are also reviewed. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives
for the development of magnetically powered miniaturized motors are
discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaijuan Zhou
- Center for Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technicka 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Carmen C Mayorga-Martinez
- Center for Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technicka 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Salvador Pané
- Multi-Scale Robotics Lab (MSRL), Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems (IRIS), ETH Zurich, Tannenstrasse 3, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Martin Pumera
- Center for Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technicka 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic.,Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, No. 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Korea.,Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 656/123, Brno CZ-612 00, Czech Republic
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30
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Soto F, Karshalev E, Zhang F, Esteban Fernandez de Avila B, Nourhani A, Wang J. Smart Materials for Microrobots. Chem Rev 2021; 122:5365-5403. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Soto
- Department of Nanoengineering, Chemical Engineering Program and Contextual Robotics Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Emil Karshalev
- Department of Nanoengineering, Chemical Engineering Program and Contextual Robotics Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Fangyu Zhang
- Department of Nanoengineering, Chemical Engineering Program and Contextual Robotics Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Berta Esteban Fernandez de Avila
- Department of Nanoengineering, Chemical Engineering Program and Contextual Robotics Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Amir Nourhani
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Mathematics, Biology, Biomimicry Research and Innovation Center, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Joseph Wang
- Department of Nanoengineering, Chemical Engineering Program and Contextual Robotics Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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31
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Abstract
Mobile microrobots that maneuver in liquid environments and navigate inside the human body have drawn a great interest due to their possibility for medical uses serving as an in vivo cargo. For this system, the effective self-propelling method, which should be powered wirelessly and controllable in 3-D space, is of paramount importance. This article describes a bubble-powered swimming microdrone that can navigate in 3-D space in a controlled manner. To enable 3-D propulsion with steering capability, air bubbles of three lengths are trapped in microtubes that are embedded and three-dimensionally aligned inside the drone body using two-photon polymerization. These bubbles can generate on-demand 3-D propulsion through microstreaming when they are selectively excited at their individual resonance frequencies that depend on the bubble sizes. In order to equip the drone with highly stable maneuverability, a non-uniform mass distribution of the drone body is carefully designed to spontaneously restore the drone to the upright position from disturbances. A mathematical model of the restoration mechanism is developed to predict the restoration behavior showing a good agreement with the experimental data. The present swimming microdrone potentially lends itself to a robust 3-D maneuverable microscale mobile cargo navigating in vitro and in vivo for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Wei Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
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