Hybrid engine for nanoparticles
Nanoparticles were trained to move directionally without fuel
Scientists from the University of California at San Diego have created hybrid nanoparticles, the movement of which can be controlled using both ultrasound and a magnetic field. The new devices can be used in medicine for targeted drug delivery or magnetothermy of cancerous tumors. The study is published in NanoLetters (Magneto–Acoustic Hybrid Nanomotor).
The nanoparticles were synthesized on a porous template and consisted of two halves: a uniform gold rod and a palladium spiral coated with a layer of nickel. Under the influence of ultrasound, such particles oscillate and, for inertial reasons, begin to move uniformly along the axis of the rod. On the other hand, if these particles are placed in a magnetic field with a rotating induction vector, the nickel part will play the role of a worm screw and eventually also cause longitudinal movement.
Schematic representation of hybrid nanorods and mechanisms of their directional movement.
Image: Jinxing Li et al./ NanoLetters
Scientists have experimentally confirmed the possibility of controlling the obtained particles by ultrasound and magnetic field. They managed to reach a speed of about 20 microns per second. The length of the particles themselves is about three microns with a diameter of about a hundred nanometers (according to the classification of nanomaterials, such objects are still considered nanoparticles).
Ultrasound and magnetic fields are actively used in many medical methods, as they practically do not pose harm to the body. That is why developments are underway to create "nanomotors" that do not require fuel, which can be controlled only with the help of external influences. Such particles can be used as containers for drugs or locally acting therapeutic agents.
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01.07.2015