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Peer-reviewedCC BYAdvanced Functional Materials

Pickering‐Engineered Microparticles for Magnetically Guided Motion and Light‐Triggered Catalysis

  • Chiara Ferlito1
  • Ludovico Guercio1
  • Giuseppe P. Cavallaro1
  • Giuseppe Lazzara1
  • Theodore Hueckel2,3
  • Lorenzo Lisuzzo1
  • Stefano Sacanna2
  1. 1Department of Physics and Chemistry “Emilio Segrè” University of Palermo Palermo Italy
  2. 2Department of Chemistry New York University New York USA
  3. 3Department of Materials Science and Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge Massachusetts USA
Open at sourceDOICite

Abstract

We report a holistic design strategy for magnetically and photoactively functional hybrid microparticles formed by the self‐assembly of hematite (α‐Fe 2 O 3 ) cubes anchored at the surface of solid wax spheres through a Pickering emulsification process. In this multicomponent synthesis, the hematite cubes and wax each play multiple, cooperative roles that collectively determine the morphology and functionality of the resulting particles: the liquid wax promotes efficient packing and magnetic coupling of the cubes at the interface; the solidified wax core provides structural stability and mobility; and the hematite cubes confer both magnetic responsiveness and visible‐light‐driven catalytic activity. Under an external magnetic field, the particles exhibit controlled motion, and upon visible‐light irradiation, they catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, generating oxygen bubbles at their surfaces. This dual magnetic–photocatalytic functionality enables both spatial steering and light‐triggered activation of chemical reactions. The straightforward Pickering‐assisted route thus provides a versatile strategy for producing environmentally benign, self‐assembled microdevices for applications in pollutant degradation, catalytic processes, and soft microrobotics.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{ferlito2026pickeringengineered,
  title = {{Pickering‐Engineered Microparticles for Magnetically Guided Motion and Light‐Triggered Catalysis}},
  author = {Chiara Ferlito and Ludovico Guercio and Giuseppe P. Cavallaro and Giuseppe Lazzara and Theodore Hueckel and Lorenzo Lisuzzo and Stefano Sacanna},
  journal = {Advanced Functional Materials},
  year = {2026},
  month = jun,
  doi = {10.1002/adfm.76302},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.76302},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Pickering‐Engineered Microparticles for Magnetically Guided Motion and Light‐Triggered Catalysis
AU  - Chiara Ferlito
AU  - Ludovico Guercio
AU  - Giuseppe P. Cavallaro
AU  - Giuseppe Lazzara
AU  - Theodore Hueckel
AU  - Lorenzo Lisuzzo
AU  - Stefano Sacanna
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/01
JO  - Advanced Functional Materials
DO  - 10.1002/adfm.76302
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.76302
AB  - We report a holistic design strategy for magnetically and photoactively functional hybrid microparticles formed by the self‐assembly of hematite (α‐Fe 2 O 3 ) cubes anchored at the surface of solid wax spheres through a Pickering emulsification process. In this multicomponent synthesis, the hematite cubes and wax each play multiple, cooperative roles that collectively determine the morphology and functionality of the resulting particles: the liquid wax promotes efficient packing and magnetic coupling of the cubes at the interface; the solidified wax core provides structural stability and mobility; and the hematite cubes confer both magnetic responsiveness and visible‐light‐driven catalytic activity. Under an external magnetic field, the particles exhibit controlled motion, and upon visible‐light irradiation, they catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, generating oxygen bubbles at their surfaces. This dual magnetic–photocatalytic functionality enables both spatial steering and light‐triggered activation of chemical reactions. The straightforward Pickering‐assisted route thus provides a versatile strategy for producing environmentally benign, self‐assembled microdevices for applications in pollutant degradation, catalytic processes, and soft microrobotics.
SN  - 1616-301X
SN  - 1616-3028
ER  -