Fabrication of Self-Propelled Micro- and Nanomotors Based on Janus Structures

Delicate molecular and biological motors are tiny machines capable of achieving numerous vital tasks in biological processes. To gain a deeper understanding of their mechanism of motion, researchers from multiple backgrounds have designed and fabricated artificial micro- and nanomotors. These nano-/microscale motors can self-propel in solution by exploiting different sources of energy; thus showing tremendous potential in widespread applications. As one of the most common motor systems, Janus motors possess unique asymmetric structures and integrate different functional materials onto two sides. This review mainly focuses on the fabrication of different types of micro- and nanomotors based on Janus structures. Furthermore, some challenges still exist in the implementation of Janus motors in the biomedical field. With such common goals in mind, it is expected that the elaborate and multifunctional design of Janus motors will overcome their challenges in the near future.