The pH Taxis of an Intelligent Catalytic Microbot

Abstract

A Pd nanoparticle-containing polymer microsphere moves with increasing speed across a pH gradient, following differential catalytic decomposition of aqueous hydrogen peroxide. The directional motion is akin to the pH taxis of living microorganisms. The artificial pH taxis exhibits random walk, translation, vertical, hopping, and pulsed motion, when the size of the motor and the imposed pH gradient are modulated. As a service to our authors and readers, this journal provides supporting information supplied by the authors. Such materials are peer reviewed and may be re-organized for online delivery, but are not copy-edited or typeset. Technical support issues arising from supporting information (other than missing files) should be addressed to the authors. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.