Helical Nanomachines as Mobile Viscometers. (15th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ghosh, Arijit; Dasgupta, Debayan; Pal, Malay; Morozov, Konstantin I.; Leshansky, Alexander M.; Ghosh, Ambarish
• Is Part Of: Advanced functional materials. Volume 28:Number 25(2018)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2018-01-15
• Subjects: helical propulsion -- heterogeneous fluids -- micro/nanomachines -- shear‐thinning fluids -- viscometry; Materials -- Periodicals; Chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201705687
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1616-301X

Abstract

Abstract: A wide variety of applications are envisioned and demonstrated with artificial micro‐ and nanomachines, ranging from targeted drug or gene delivery, microsurgery, environmental sensing, and many more. Here, it is demonstrated how helical nanomachines can be used to measure and map the local mechanical properties of a complex heterogeneous environment. The positions of the nanomachines are precisely controlled using externally applied magnetic fields, while their instantaneous orientations provide estimation of the viscosity of the surrounding medium with high spatial and temporal accuracy. The measurement technique can be applied to both Newtonian as well as shear thinning media, and all experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical analysis. It is believed that this novel application of helical nanomachines can be particularly relevant to biophysical studies and microfluidic technologies. Abstract : Helical nanomachines are maneuvered and positioned in a heterogenous mechanical environment with micrometer scale resolution using externally applied magnetic fields. The orientation dynamics of the machine is used to quantify the local viscosity in real time. This measurement technique is applicable to both Newtonian as well as shear thinning media, and applicable to various biophysical studies and microfluidic technologies.