Research Background

The magnetic-controlled helical microrobot has broad application prospects in biomedical fields such as targeted therapy and minimally invasive surgery due to its capabilities of remote manipulation and drug transportation.

However, the current micro-helical robots have low magnetic content and weak driving force, making it difficult to overcome the impact of environmental flow rates, which limits the application of magnetic helical microrobots in in-vivo therapy.

Research Content

Recently, Associate Professor Jiawen Li from the University of Science and Technology of China led a research team to prepare a metal microrobot (Ni-MAR) with high magnetic content (~90 wt%) by combining femtosecond laser two-photon processing with high-temperature sintering. This microrobot exhibits strong driving torque in a magnetic field, enabling it to achieve reversible movement in fluids and targeted delivery of objects weighing 200 times its own weight.

• Figure 1. Preparation of the metal microrobot and its reversible movement in fluid and targeted delivery of heavy objects.

This work first synthesized a nickel-containing metal photoresist that can undergo two-photon polymerization. Various morphologies of micro-helical structures were processed using femtosecond laser, followed by high-temperature debinding and reduction post-treatment techniques to obtain metal microrobots with high magnetic content and controllable morphology.

The metal robot can achieve a movement speed of up to 12.5 body lengths per second under the drive of an alternating magnetic field, allowing it to swim upstream in fluids.

Moreover, this metal microrobot has strong driving force in a magnetic field, capable of pushing objects weighing about 200 times its own weight for directional movement.

These results provide a feasible technical solution for exploring the future clinical applications of helical microrobots in living organisms. This achievement was published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Lab on a Chip under the title “High-performance magnetic metal microrobot prepared by a two-photon polymerization and sintering method.”

Paper Information

• High-performance magnetic metal microrobot prepared by a two-photon polymerization and sintering method

  Rui Li‡, Modong Jiang ‡, Bingrui Liu, Shaojun Jiang, Chao Chen, Mengxue Liang, Lijie Qu, Chaowei Wang, Gang Zhao, Yanlei Hu, Dong Wu, Jiaru Chu and Jiawen Li*（Jiawen Li, University of Science and Technology of China）

  Lab Chip, 2024,24,832-842 https://doi.org/10.1039/D3LC01084H

Author Information

Rui Li PhD

University of Science and Technology of China

First author of this paper, graduated from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2022, obtaining a PhD degree. Research direction: Micro-nano additive manufacturing of inorganic functional materials (metals/ceramics).

Modong JiangPhD Student

University of Science and Technology of China

Co-first author of this paper, undergraduate student of the 2017 class and PhD student of the 2021 class at the University of Science and Technology of China, researching micro-nano 3D printing technology of high-entropy inorganic materials and new mechanical metamaterials.

Jiawen LiAssociate Professor

University of Science and Technology of China

Corresponding author, research direction includes efficient processing technology with femtosecond laser, design and fabrication of micro-nano functional devices, design of new photopolymer materials, and preparation methods for 3D metamaterials.

Related Journals

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Lab Chip

2-Year Impact Factor*	6.1 points
5-Year Impact Factor*	6.9 points
Highest JCR Quartile*	Q1 Instruments
CiteScore†	11.3 points
Median Peer Review Time‡	39 days

Lab on a Chip reports on miniaturization research at the micro and nano scales, aiming to publish original work that is highly impactful in both physical technology (micromachining, flow control, system integration, analytical separation techniques, etc.) and application potential. The journal places the highest importance on the innovation of the papers, which usually need to innovate in both of the following aspects: (i) the physics, engineering, and materials of miniaturized devices; (ii) applications in biology, chemistry, environmental science, food science, medicine, energy, etc.

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