The controlled movement of a chemical container by the light-activated expulsion of a chemical fuel, named here "photo-chemopropulsion", is an exciting new development in the array of mechanisms employed for controlling the movement of microvehicles, herein represented by lipid-based microdroplets. This "chemopropulsion" effect can be switched on and off, and is fully reversible.
Funding
ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science
Florea, L., Wagner, K., Wagner, P., Wallace, G. G., Benito-Lopez, F., Officer, D. L. & Diamond, D. (2014). Photo-chemopropulsion - light-stimulated movement of microdroplets. Advanced Materials, Online First 1-7.