Micro/Nanomachines: from Functionalization to Sensing and Removal

Abstract Micro/nanomachines have attracted tremendous interest in chemo/bioanalytical science and environmental remediation due to the synergistic effect of unique motion characteristics and the inherited physicochemical properties from micro/nanomaterials. Past decade has witnessed great progresses on a wide array of micro/nanomachines with diverse functionalities for specific sensing and removal applications. The development of designed materials and structures, the exploration of new propulsion mechanism, and the realization of versatile functionalization are employed for potential applications. In this review, the recent advances in the exploration of functionalized micro/nanomachines are summarized, with special emphasis on the functionalization of micro/nanomachines and their corresponding sensing and removal capability. Possible challenges facing micro/nanomachines in sensing and removal application are discussed, accompanied with the extrapolated perspectives for the future focus.