Melt Electrospinning Writing of Magnetic Microrobots.

Abstract

The magnetic microrobots actuated by an external magnetic field can access distant, enclosed, and small spaces under fuel‐free conditions, which is apromising technology for manipulation and delivery under microenvironment; however, the complicated fabrication method limits their applications. Herein, three techniques including melt electrospinning writing (MEW), micromolding, and skiving process are combined to successfully mass‐produce tadpole‐like magnetic polycaprolactone/Fe3O4 (PCL/Fe3O4) microrobot. Importantly, the tadpole‐like microrobots under an external magnetic field can achieve two locomotions: rolling mode and propulsion mode. The rolling motion can approach the working destination quickly with a speed of ≈2 mm s−1. The propulsion motion (0−340 µm s−1) can handle a microcargo. Such a simple and cost‐effective production method shows a great potential for scale‐up fabrication of advanced shape‐design, mass‐production, and multifunctionality microrobot.