Jan’s silica nanorods on the cover of ChemNanoMat!

The recent issue of Journal ChemNanoMat features a cover art made by Jan. The illustration corresponds to the recent paper published in this journal, a result of a collaboration of N&N Group and Smart Nano-Bio-Devices group at Bioengineering Institute of Catalonia (IBEC).

The cover represents a “race” of rod-shaped nanomotors. In the paper, mesoporous silica nanorods (MSNRs) are presented as interesting new chassis for the development of catalytic nanomotors due to their longitudinal pores, their rod‐like structure and versatile material. Three types of MSNR nanomotors, based on Pt catalysis, Fenton‐like reactions of embedded Fe2O3 nanoparticles inside the mesopores, and their synergistic combination, are demonstrated to self‐propel upon addition of hydrogen peroxide. Two sub‐populations of motors moving by either enhanced diffusion or ballistic propulsion are shown to coexist in this system. The motion of three different types of nanomotors is compared, hence the competition between them that can be seen on the journal cover.

Cover, illustration, Jan Grzelak, mesoporous silica, nanorods, paper