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Putting Nanoparticles to Work: Self-propelled Inorganic Micro- and Nanomotors

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Anisotropic and Shape-Selective Nanomaterials

Part of the book series: Nanostructure Science and Technology ((NST))

Abstract

The development of nanomotors (nano- and micron sized particles that convert energy into mechanical movement) is an exciting endeavor. Nanomotors have been crafted in an extensive variety of sizes, morphologies and compositions for applications such as drug delivery, cargo transport, sensing , and lithography. Inspired by nature’s elegant use of chemical gradients and cellular tracks for independently driven molecular processes, a variety of machines have been created. With the recent bestowment of the Nobel Prize for molecular machines, this concept is being actively pursued to create inorganic nano- and microparticles that independently move for a gamut of applications.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Security Directorate, Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, SC, USA

    Kaitlin J. Coopersmith

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  1. Kaitlin J. Coopersmith
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Correspondence to Kaitlin J. Coopersmith .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Savannah River National Laboratory , Aiken, South Carolina, USA

    Simona E. Hunyadi Murph

  2. Savannah River National Laboratory , Aiken, South Carolina, USA

    George K. Larsen

  3. Savannah River National Laboratory , Aiken, SC, South Carolina, USA

    Kaitlin J. Coopersmith

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Coopersmith, K.J. (2017). Putting Nanoparticles to Work: Self-propelled Inorganic Micro- and Nanomotors. In: Hunyadi Murph, S., Larsen, G., Coopersmith, K. (eds) Anisotropic and Shape-Selective Nanomaterials. Nanostructure Science and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59662-4_6

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