Hybrid nanomotor: a catalytically/magnetically powered adaptive nanowire swimmer.

A synthetic hybrid nanomotor, which combines chemically powered propulsion and magnetically driven locomotion, is described. The new catalytic-magnetic nanomotor consists of a flexible multisegment Pt-Au-Ag(flex)-Ni nanowire, with the Pt-Au and Au-Ag(flex)-Ni portions responsible for the catalytic and magnetic propulsion modes, respectively. The experimental data and theoretical considerations indicate that the hybrid design only minimally compromises the individual propulsion modes.