Autonomous nanomotor based on copper-platinum segmented nanobattery

Ran Liu; Ayusman Sen

doi:10.1021/ja2082735

Autonomous nanomotor based on copper-platinum segmented nanobattery

J Am Chem Soc. 2011 Dec 21;133(50):20064-7. doi: 10.1021/ja2082735. Epub 2011 Oct 7.

Authors

Ran Liu¹, Ayusman Sen

Affiliation

¹ Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.

PMID: 21961523
DOI: 10.1021/ja2082735

Abstract

We describe an efficient, bubble-free nanoscale motor consisting of a copper-platinum (Cu-Pt) segmented rod that operates as a nanobattery in dilute aqueous Br(2) or I(2) solutions. The motion of the rod is powered by self-electrophoresis caused by redox reactions occurring on the two different metal segments. Asymmetric ratchet-shaped pure copper nanorods were also found to rotate and tumble in aqueous Br(2) solution because of the ion gradient arising from asymmetric dissolution of copper.