Multimedia Gallery
November 20, 2008
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Platinum/gold nanorods in distilled water migrate toward a source of hydrogen peroxide.
Platinum/gold nanorods immersed in distilled water migrate en masse, from lower right to upper left, toward a source of hydrogen peroxide that has been introduced into this region of the distilled water. As the hydrogen peroxide seeps into the distilled water, it creates a chemical gradient along which the nanorods swim. The metallic 1,500-by-400-nanometer rods propel themselves toward the highest concentration of hydrogen peroxide by catalyzing the oxidation of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen at their platinum heads and to water at their gold tails.
Credit: Ayusman Sen Laboratory, Penn State
Videos credited to the National Science Foundation, an agency of the U.S. Government, may be distributed freely. However, some materials within the videos may be copyrighted. If you would like to use portions of NSF-produced programs in another product, please contact the Video Team in the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs at the National Science Foundation.
Additional information about general usage can be found in Conditions.
Related story: Nanoparticles Taught to Swim