Spatial Control over Catalyst Positioning for Increased Micromotor Efficiency
Motion is influenced by many different aspects of a micromotor’s design, such as shape, roughness and the type of materials used. When designing a motor, asymmetry is the main requirement to take into account, either in shape or in catalyst distribution. It influences both speed and directionality s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Gels |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/9/2/164 |
| _version_ | 1797620804950687744 |
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| author | Shauni Keller Serena P. Teora Arif Keskin Luuk J. C. Daris Norman A. P. E. Samuels Moussa Boujemaa Daniela A. Wilson |
| author_facet | Shauni Keller Serena P. Teora Arif Keskin Luuk J. C. Daris Norman A. P. E. Samuels Moussa Boujemaa Daniela A. Wilson |
| author_sort | Shauni Keller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Motion is influenced by many different aspects of a micromotor’s design, such as shape, roughness and the type of materials used. When designing a motor, asymmetry is the main requirement to take into account, either in shape or in catalyst distribution. It influences both speed and directionality since it dictates the location of propulsion force. Here, we combine asymmetry in shape and asymmetry in catalyst distribution to study the motion of soft micromotors. A microfluidic method is utilized to generate aqueous double emulsions, which upon UV-exposure form asymmetric microgels. Taking advantage of the flexibility of this method, we fabricated micromotors with homogeneous catalyst distribution throughout the microbead and micromotors with different degrees of catalyst localization within the active site. Spatial control over catalyst positioning is advantageous since less enzyme is needed for the same propulsion speed as the homogeneous system and it provides further confinement and compartmentalization of the catalyst. This proof-of-concept of our new design will make the use of enzymes as driving forces for motors more accessible, as well as providing a new route for compartmentalizing enzymes at interfaces without the need for catalyst-specific functionalization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:47:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5c2c4b344f95466298bb8b19b57bcde8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:47:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj.art-5c2c4b344f95466298bb8b19b57bcde82023-11-16T20:40:06ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612023-02-019216410.3390/gels9020164Spatial Control over Catalyst Positioning for Increased Micromotor EfficiencyShauni Keller0Serena P. Teora1Arif Keskin2Luuk J. C. Daris3Norman A. P. E. Samuels4Moussa Boujemaa5Daniela A. Wilson6Department of Systems Chemistry, Institute of Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Systems Chemistry, Institute of Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Systems Chemistry, Institute of Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Systems Chemistry, Institute of Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Systems Chemistry, Institute of Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Systems Chemistry, Institute of Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Systems Chemistry, Institute of Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The NetherlandsMotion is influenced by many different aspects of a micromotor’s design, such as shape, roughness and the type of materials used. When designing a motor, asymmetry is the main requirement to take into account, either in shape or in catalyst distribution. It influences both speed and directionality since it dictates the location of propulsion force. Here, we combine asymmetry in shape and asymmetry in catalyst distribution to study the motion of soft micromotors. A microfluidic method is utilized to generate aqueous double emulsions, which upon UV-exposure form asymmetric microgels. Taking advantage of the flexibility of this method, we fabricated micromotors with homogeneous catalyst distribution throughout the microbead and micromotors with different degrees of catalyst localization within the active site. Spatial control over catalyst positioning is advantageous since less enzyme is needed for the same propulsion speed as the homogeneous system and it provides further confinement and compartmentalization of the catalyst. This proof-of-concept of our new design will make the use of enzymes as driving forces for motors more accessible, as well as providing a new route for compartmentalizing enzymes at interfaces without the need for catalyst-specific functionalization.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/9/2/164micromotormicrofluidicsaqueous phase separationautonomous motionspatial localization |
| spellingShingle | Shauni Keller Serena P. Teora Arif Keskin Luuk J. C. Daris Norman A. P. E. Samuels Moussa Boujemaa Daniela A. Wilson Spatial Control over Catalyst Positioning for Increased Micromotor Efficiency Gels micromotor microfluidics aqueous phase separation autonomous motion spatial localization |
| title | Spatial Control over Catalyst Positioning for Increased Micromotor Efficiency |
| title_full | Spatial Control over Catalyst Positioning for Increased Micromotor Efficiency |
| title_fullStr | Spatial Control over Catalyst Positioning for Increased Micromotor Efficiency |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial Control over Catalyst Positioning for Increased Micromotor Efficiency |
| title_short | Spatial Control over Catalyst Positioning for Increased Micromotor Efficiency |
| title_sort | spatial control over catalyst positioning for increased micromotor efficiency |
| topic | micromotor microfluidics aqueous phase separation autonomous motion spatial localization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/9/2/164 |
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