Multiwavelength Light-Responsive Au/B-TiO2 Janus Micromotors

Abstract

Conventional photocatalytic micromotors are limited to the use of specific wavelengths of light due to their narrow light absorption spectrum, which limits their effectiveness for applications in biomedicine and environmental remediation. We present a multiwavelength light-responsive Janus micromotor consisting of a black TiO2 microsphere asymmetrically coated with a thin Au layer. The black TiO2 microspheres exhibit absorption ranges between 300 and 800 nm. The Janus micromotors are propelled by light, both in H2O2 solutions and in pure H2O over a broad range of wavelengths including UV, blue, cyan, green, and red light. An analysis of the particles' motion shows that the motor speed decreases with increasing wavelength, which has not been previously realized. A significant increase in motor speed is observed when exploiting the entire visible light spectrum (>400 nm), suggesting a potential use of solar energy, which contains a great portion of visible light. Finally, stop-go motion is also demonstrated by controlling the visible light illumination, a necessary feature for the steerability of micro- and nanomachines. © 2017 American Chemical Society.