In ContextÂ
- According to recent research, ‘Micro-swimmers’ may soon help with drug delivery.
- The research aims at moving microbots into the bloodstream to deliver drugs.
- The technique makes use of light as a fuel to induce the tiny robots to move in simulations
About ‘Micro-swimmers’Â
- Made from the two-dimensional compound poly (heptazine imide) carbon nitride (aka PHI carbon nitride), these microbots are nothing like the miniaturised humans.Â
- They range from 1-10 micrometre (a micrometre is one-millionth of a metre) in size, and can self-propel when energised by shining light.
- How do they swim across the blood?
- The PHI carbon nitride microparticles are photocatalytic.Â
- Like in a solar cell, the incident light is converted into electrons and holes. These charges drive reactions in the surrounding liquid.
- Â The charges react with the fluid surrounding them. This reaction, combined with the particle’s electric field, makes the microbots (micro-swimmers) swim.
- As long as there is light, electrons and holes are produced on the surface of the swimmers, which in turn react to form ions and an electric field around the swimmer.Â
- These ions move around the particle and cause fluid to flow around the particle.Â
- So this fluid flow causes the micro-swimmers to move.
