Janus Catalytic Micromotors: From Mobile Sensors on Lab-on-a-Chips to Mobile Reactors for Tailored Synthesis of Nanoparticles
Alberto Escarpa Miguel, Professor, University Of Alcala
Micromotors represent one of the most exciting horizons in micro and
nanotechnologies. Micrometer-sized motors can either have a conical
tubular or spherical structure. Spherical shapes comprise Janus
micromotors (named after the two-faced Roman god Janus); which are
prepared by asymmetrically coating of microparticles (silica,
polystyrene) with a catalytic layer (mainly Pt) for decomposition of a
fuel (mainly hydrogen peroxide) towards efficient propulsion. If they
are used with creativity, they offer also considerable promise for
labs-on-a-chip applications in both approaches: analysis and synthesis.
In
this keynote, the truly two faces of Janus catalytic micromotors,
analysis and synthesis, towards two relevant approaches will be
presented and discussed. On a first approach, the use of
magneto-catalytic Janus micromotors encapsulating phenylboronic acid and
graphene quantum dots as mobile sensors for detection of bacteria
endotoxins in lab-on-a-chip devices, will be discussed. A second
approach will illustrate the tailored synthesis of CdS quantum dots and
Au nanoparticles nanoparticles with “mobile” catalytic Janus micromotors
encapsulating suitable precursors (Cd2+ or citrate). Both
approaches hold considerable promise for diverse clinical, agro-food and
biological lab-on-chip applications.
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