Microscopic cubes trap cells with magnetic actuation

By using magnetic energy from their environment, the so-called “microbot origami” structures have the potential to be used as cell characterisation tools, fluid micromixers, and components of artificial muscles and soft biomimetic devices.

The findings, led by researchers at North Carolina State University and Duke University, are published in Science Advances.

“This research is about a topic of current interest – active particles which take energy from their environment and convert it into directional movement,” said Orlin Velev, INVISTA Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NC State and co-corresponding author of the paper.

To create the microbot origami, the researchers started with microscopic polymer cubes that are metallic on one side. Depending on their positioning, the cubes can be assembled in many different ways.

“Since they are magnetised and interacting, the cubes store energy,” Velev said in a statement.

Tiny particles in the shape of cubes attach together in sequences where they face in different directions to form clusters that are opened by applying a magnetic field, then closed by turning the magnetic field off.