化学反応によって誘起される触媒粒子の化学走性の発現

抄録

Several research groups including us had reported that catalytic particles with asymmetric composition or morphology exhibit autonomous motions in a homogeneous solution containing reactant. In this study, we provide asymmetric environment where unsteady or quasi-steady gradient of a reactant (ethanol) is formed, although we use spherical catalytic particles made of single metal (Pt). As a result, we found that even spherical particles exhibit specific motility, chemotaxis that objects move along concentration gradient of specific chemical species. In our system, Pt catalytic particles show translation toward the area with higher concentrated reactant (ethanol). Such a new phenomenon is expected to apply to chemical systems such as power source of micromotors and catalytic reaction systems with high reaction efficiency, due to particles’ motility.