Bubble-propelled microrockets could operate in the human stomach
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 - 08:31
in Physics & Chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- Recently, researchers have been designing a wide variety of self-propelled micomotors, many of which operate using an oxygen-bubble propulsion mechanism that requires a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide fuel. Since hydrogen peroxide is hazardous at high concentrations, this requirement has hindered practical applications, especially biomedical uses. Now in a new study, scientists have designed and built a new type of micromotor that propels itself through acidic environments with hydrogen bubbles, and requires no additional fuels. At extremely low pH levels, the micromotors can travel at speeds of up to 100 body lengths per second, prompting the scientists to call them microrockets.