Fabrication of ellipsoidal microswimmers with controllable tip shape

Microswimmers are objects capable of converting applied energy into active motion, resulting in its propulsion in a medium. The shape and chemical compound of the microswimmer strongly influence its propulsion properties. Here we investigate a template-based approach for fabrication of particles with controlled composition, size, and shape, which can be used as fundamental units for the preparation of microswimmers. Polystyrene nanorods with different configurations of the tip shape were fabricated with an aspect ratio of 10:1. The ratio of length-to-width (i.e. aspect ratio) can be easily modified by controlling the surface properties of the template. The wettability transition of polystyrene was used to manipulate the morphology and entrapment of polymer nanostructures