Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2025
Micropunching Lithography for Generating Micro- and Submicron-patterns on Polymer Substrates
Published on: July 2, 2012
High-performance magnetic metal microrobot prepared by a two-photon polymerization and sintering method
Rui Li1, Modong Jiang1, Bingrui Liu1
1CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China. jwl@ustc.edu.cn.
High-performance pure-nickel magnetically-actuated microrobots (Ni-MARs) offer enhanced magnetic torque for high-speed locomotion and cargo transport. This breakthrough promises advancements in targeted therapy and drug delivery.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Robotics
Background:
- Magnetically-actuated microrobots (MARs) are promising for biomedical applications due to precise navigation and wireless control.
- Existing MARs often suffer from low magnetic content, limiting their speed, cargo capacity, and performance in fluid environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-performance magnetically-actuated microrobot with enhanced magnetic properties.
- To overcome the limitations of existing MARs in terms of speed, cargo carrying, and locomotion in challenging fluid conditions.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of pure-nickel magnetically-actuated microrobots (Ni-MARs) using femtosecond laser polymerization and sintering.
- Characterization of Ni-MARs for magnetic content and performance under rotating magnetic fields.
Main Results:
- Ni-MARs achieved high magnetic content (∼90 wt%), generating enhanced magnetic torque.
- Demonstrated high-speed swimming (12.5 body lengths per second) and controlled locomotion in fast-flowing fluids.
- Successfully transported microcubes 200 times heavier and single/multiple cells.
Conclusions:
- The developed Ni-MARs exhibit superior performance compared to traditional MARs.
- This fabrication method provides a pathway for creating advanced magnetic microrobots.
- Ni-MARs show significant potential for in vivo applications like targeted therapy and drug delivery.
