Lightweight and drift-free magnetically actuated millirobots via asymmetric laser-induced graphene

Yun Chen, Yuanhui Guo, Bin Xie, Fujun Jin, Li Ma, Hao Zhang, Yihao Li, Xin Chen (), Maoxiang Hou, Jian Gao, Huilong Liu, Yu-Jing Lu (), Ching-Ping Wong and Ni Zhao ()
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Yun Chen: Guangdong University of Technology
Yuanhui Guo: Guangdong University of Technology
Bin Xie: Guangdong University of Technology
Fujun Jin: Guangdong University of Technology
Li Ma: Guangdong University of Technology
Hao Zhang: Guangdong University of Technology
Yihao Li: The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Xin Chen: Guangdong University of Technology
Maoxiang Hou: Guangdong University of Technology
Jian Gao: Guangdong University of Technology
Huilong Liu: Guangdong University of Technology
Yu-Jing Lu: Guangdong University of Technology
Ching-Ping Wong: Georgia Institute of Technology
Ni Zhao: The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Millirobots must have low cost, efficient locomotion, and the ability to track target trajectories precisely if they are to be widely deployed. With current materials and fabrication methods, achieving all of these features in one millirobot remains difficult. We develop a series of graphene-based helical millirobots by introducing asymmetric light pattern distortion to a laser-induced polymer-to-graphene conversion process; this distortion resulted in the spontaneous twisting and peeling off of graphene sheets from the polymer substrate. The lightweight nature of graphene in combine with the laser-induced porous microstructure provides a millirobot scaffold with a low density and high surface hydrophobicity. Magnetically driven nickel-coated graphene-based helical millirobots with rapid locomotion, excellent trajectory tracking, and precise drug delivery ability were fabricated from the scaffold. Importantly, such high-performance millirobots are fabricated at a speed of 77 scaffolds per second, demonstrating their potential in high-throughput and large-scale production. By using drug delivery for gastric cancer treatment as an example, we demonstrate the advantages of the graphene-based helical millirobots in terms of their long-distance locomotion and drug transport in a physiological environment. This study demonstrates the potential of the graphene-based helical millirobots to meet performance, versatility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness requirements simultaneously.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48751-x

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