Transition between Collective
Behaviors of Micromotors
in Response to Different Stimuli
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Abstract
We report a Ag<sub>3</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> microparticle
system showing
collective behaviors in aqueous medium. Transition between two emergent
patterns, namely “exclusion” and “schooling”,
can be triggered by shift in chemical equilibrium upon the addition
or removal of NH<sub>3</sub> or in response to UV light. The transitions
are consistent with a self-diffusiophoresis mechanism resulting from
ion gradients. The reported system is among the few examples of nanomotors
that are based on a reversible nonredox reaction and demonstrates
new design principles for micro/nanomotors. Potential applications
of the reported system in logic gates, microscale pumping, and hierarchical
assembly have been demonstrated