Graphene Jet Nanomotors in Remote Controllable Self-Propulsion Swimmers in Pure Water

A remote controllable working graphite nano structured swimmer based on a graphene jet nanomotor has been demonstrated for the first time. Graphite particles with pyramidal-like morphologies were fabricated by the creation of suitable defects in wide high-purity graphite flakes followed by a severe sonication. The particles were able to be self:exfoliated in water after Na intercalation between, the graphene constituents. The self-exfoliation resulted in jet ejection of graphene flakes, from, the end of the swimmers(with speeds as high as similar to 7000 m/s), producing a driving force (at least similar to 0.7 L (pN) where L (mu m) is swimmer size) and consequently the motion of the swimmer (with average speed of similar to 17-40 mu m/s). The jet ejection, of the graphene flakes-was assigned :to the explosion Of H-2 nanobubbles-produced between the Na intercalated flakes. The direction of motion of the swimmers equipped with TiO2 natiopartides (NPs) can be controlled by applying a magnetic field in the presence of UV irradiation (higher UV intensity, lower, radius of rotation). In fact, the negative surface charge of the graphene flakes of the swimmers increased by UV irradiation due to transferring the photoexcited electrons of TiO2 NPs, into the flakes. Because of higher production of H-2, nanobubbles under UV,irradiation, the speed of swimmers exposed to UV light significantly increased. In contrast, UV irradiation with various intensities could not affect total distance traversed by the self-exfoliated swimmers having the same initial sites. These confirmed the mass ejection mechanism for motion of-the swimmers. The self-exfoliation of swimmers (and so their occurred only in water (and not, e.g in Organic solutions). Such swimmers promise the design of remote controllable nanovehicles with the capability of initiating and/or improving their operations in response to environmental changes in order to realize broad ranges of versatile and fantastic nanotechnology-based applications.