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Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Preparation and 3D Tracking of Catalytic Swimming Devices
Published on: July 1, 2016
Chemotactic dynamics of catalytic dimer nanomotors
Jiang-Xing Chen1, Yu-Guo Chen, Yu-Qiang Ma
1National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China. jxchen@hdu.edu.cn myqiang@nju.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Synthetic chemically powered nanomotors possessing the ability of chemotaxis are desirable for target cargo delivery and self-assembly. The chemotactic properties of a sphere dimer motor, composed of linked catalytic and inactive monomers, are studied in a gradient field of fuel. Particle-based simulation is carried out by means of hybrid molecular dynamics/multiparticle collision dynamics. The detailed tracking and motion analysis describing the running and tumbling of the sphere dimer motor in the process of chemotaxis are investigated. Physical factors affecting chemotactic velocity are discussed, and quantitative relations are presented. The influence of the geometry of sphere dimer motors on the chemotactic dynamics is explored, which is beneficial for the design of motors with high sensitivity for detecting the surrounding environment.
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