Magnetic-Driven Tubular Micromotors with Bases for Precise Positioning and Cargo Carrying

Abstract Micro/nanomotors present considerable potential in various fields, such as medical treatment, environmental remediation, and cell engineering. However, their restricted lifetime and issues in navigation control hinder their applications in cases requiring precise positioning without chemical fuels. Thus, we propose a tubular micromotor driven by external magnetic fields, enabling it to swim in water with accurate transport capabilities. The presented tubular micromotor incorporates a single-sided base, which increases the contact area to enable cargo delivery in liquid environments. The micromotor exhibits varied movement behaviors by applying different magnetic fields, and frequency modulation allows for control over movement velocity. Template-assisted electrochemical deposition is employed to achieve large-scale fabrication, which enables the construction of Ni–Au tubular micromotors with a single-sided base. In addition, the micromotor can trace a predefined path, which demonstrates its precise positioning ability. The cargo transport capability of the micromotor is further validated using polystyrene globules as cargo. This fuel-free tubular micromotor, which is driven by magnetic fields, provides a promising approach for precise cargo delivery. Its broad feasibility makes it suitable for various biomedical applications.