Nanomotors have been extensively explored for various applications in nanomedicine, especially in cargo transportation. Motile properties enable them to deliver pharmaceutical ingredients more efficiently to the targeted site. However, it still remains a challenge to design motor systems that are therapeutically active and can also be effectively traced when taken up by cells. Here, we designed a nanomotor with integrated fluorescence and therapeutic potential based on biodegradable polymersomes equipped with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) agents. The AIE segments provided the polymersomes with autofluorescence, facilitating the visualization of cell uptake. Furthermore, the membrane structure enabled the reshaping of the AIE polymersomes into asymmetric, peanut-shaped polymersomes. Upon laser irradiation, these peanut polymersomes not only displayed fluorescence, but also produced reactive oxygen species (ROS). Because of their specific shape, the ROS gradient induced motility in these particles. As ROS is also used for cancer cell treatment, the peanut polymersomes not only acted as delivery vehicles but also as therapeutic agents. As an integrated platform, these peanut polymersomes therefore represent an interesting delivery system with biomedical potential.

Advances in liquid phase transmission electron microscopy (LP-TEM) have enabled the monitoring of polymer dynamics in solution at the nanoscale, but radiolytic damage during LP-TEM imaging challenges its routine use in polymer science. Here, we focus on understanding, mimicking and mitigating radiolytic damage observed in functional polymers in LP-TEM. Using polymer vesicles in aqueous solutions as a model system, we quantitatively show how polymer damage occurs in all conceivable (LP-)TEM environments to which polymers might be exposed. It is found that radiolytic damage to polymers is negligible in vacuum but becomes substantial in water-containing environments. We elucidate the primary characteristics of polymer damage in water vapor and liquid water, addressing the observed differences. Furthermore, we introduce ultraviolet light irradiation in the presence of hydrogen peroxide to replicate the observed polymer damage and morphological changes on lab scale, allowing the use of bulk techniques to probe damage at the polymer chain level. Finally, we compare the protective effects of commonly used hydroxyl radical scavengers and reveal that the effectiveness of graphene's protection is distance dependent. We anticipate that our work will help to guide the design of LP-TEM experiments for polymers in a rational and informed manner.