Chemical energy to mechanical motion through catalysis

We have demonstrated that one can build nanomotors "from scratch" that mimic biological motors by using catalytic reactions to create forces based on chemical gradients. These motors are autonomous in that they do not require external electric, magnetic, or optical fields as energy sources. Instead, the input energy is supplied locally and chemically. Depending on the shape of the object and the placement of the catalyst, different kinds of motion can be achieved. Additionally, an object that moves by generating a continuous surface force in a fluid can, in principle, be used to pump the fluid by the same catalytic mechanism. Thus, by immobilizing these nanomotors, it is possible to developed micro/nanofluidic pumps that transduce energy catalytically.