Preparation of magnetic micromotors and their characterization

Micro/nanomotors are systems that can convert energy into motion and have been developed as a result of different synthesis chemistry approaches. Synthesizing functional materials with movement properties has paved the way for different applications in many fields. Micromotors, one of the most interesting research topics of recent years within the scope of nanotechnology, often find a place in fields such as various biomedical applications, environmental remediation, and chemical sensors. Within the scope of this master's thesis, the movement properties and characterizations of wire (rod) shaped microstructures created by combining gold (Au), silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) based structures with magnetic iron (Fe), nickel (Ni) or Fe-Ni based layers are examined. These micromotors, synthesized using electrochemical methods, were prepared with template (membrane) support. The structures and movements of the microstructured motors were examined under an optical microscope, and their speeds were determined based on the videos obtained. Then, scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) characterization and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) analysis were performed. In order to reveal the potential use of the synthesized motors, their modification with L-cysteine was also provided. At this stage, characterization studies were carried out for Ag/Fe-Ni motors using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and SEM-EDX. Finally, zeta potential measurements were carried out to examine the velocity monitoring and surface charges for Ag/Fe-Ni, Au/Fe/Ni and Cu/Fe-Ni micromotors incubated with L-cysteine.