Understanding the Efficiency of Autonomous Nano- and
Microscale Motors
- Publication date
- Publisher
Abstract
We
analyze the power conversion efficiency of different classes
of autonomous nano- and micromotors. For bimetallic catalytic motors
that operate by a self-electrophoretic mechanism, there are four stages
of energy loss, and together they result in a power conversion efficiency
on the order of 10<sup>–9</sup>. The results of finite element
modeling agree well with experimental measurements of the efficiency
of catalytic Pt–Au nanorod motors. Modifications of the composition
and shape of bimetallic catalytic motors were predicted computationally
and found experimentally to lead to higher efficiency. The efficiencies
of bubble-propelled catalytic micromotors, magnetically driven flagellar
motors, Janus micromotors driven by self-generated thermal gradients,
and ultrasonically driven metallic micromotors are also analyzed and
discussed
