title: Catalytic gold nanoparticle driven pH specific chemical locomotion.
abstract: Gold nanoparticle (Au NP) catalyzed decomposition of alkaline hydrogen peroxide has been utilized in driving chemical locomotives in a liquid. Au NPs deposited on spherical micron sized polymer resin beads catalyzed the decomposition of H(2)O(2) in the pH range 9.1-10.8. The O(2) gas bubbles produced in the decomposition moved the beads upward with average velocities that depended on the pH of the solution. The measured average velocity of the bead increased with the increase in pH in the range 9.1-10.8. Above this pH, the self-decomposition of H(2)O(2) produced sufficient bubbles in the medium that made the motion haphazard and thus prevented a clear measurement of the velocity. The observed accelerated motion of the locomotive has been explained by considering the time-dependent growth of O(2) gas bubbles on the polymer, while taking into consideration desorption and other factors.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781 039, India.
authors.forename: Krishna Kanti
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Dey
authors.forename: Biswa Ranjan
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Panda
authors.forename: Anumita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Saurabh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009038:Motion; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D006046:Gold; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D010100:Oxygen