Near-Infrared Light-Driven Controllable Motions of Gold-Hollow-Microcone Array

Micro/nanomotors can effectively convert other forms of energy into mechanical energy, which have been widely used in microscopic fields. However, it is still challenging to integrate the micro/nanomotors to perform complex tasks for broad applications. Herein, a new mode for driving the collective motion behaviors of integrated micro/nanomotors in a liquid by plasmonic heating is reported. The integrated micro/nanomotors, constituted by gold hollow microcone array (AuHMA), are fabricated via colloidal lithography. Owing to the excellent plasmonic-heating property of the AuHMA, the integrated micro/nanomotors can generate vapor bubbles in the liquid as exposure to near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, therefore inducing versatile motions via on/off NIR irradiation. The floating–diving motions are reversible for at least 60 cycles without fatigue. In addition, precise manipulation of the coordinated motion behaviors, including bending, convex, and jellyfish-like floating motions, can be realized by adjusting the irradiated positions of incident NIR light together with the sizes and shapes of AuHMA films. Moreover, the AuHMA film can act as a robust motor to drive a foam craft over 57-folds of its own weight as exposure to NIR irradiation. Our investigation into the NIR-driven AuHMA film provides a facile approach for obtaining integrated micro/nanomotors with controllable collective motions, which holds promise in remotely controlled smart devices and soft robotics in liquids.