Pollutant-degrading multifunctional micromotors

This paper reports a novel fabrication technique to create pollutant-degrading, self-propelled, micro soft-robots whose surface is decorated with the high surface-area, photocatalytic ZnO nanowire array. Micromotors/microrobots with photodegradation capabilities have been reported [1], but their form is limited to spherical particles with some functional coatings (e.g. Pt for bubble-generation reactions). Here the proposed micromotor is based on a sub-millimeter, hierarchical, self-folded polymeric structure integrated with functional inorganic nanomaterials that confer desired functionalities such as photodegradation and self-propulsion. To our knowledge, this type of micromotor platform has never been published, and we believe it would provide us with an opportunity to incorporate multiple functionalities.

[1]  I. In,et al.  Mussel‐Inspired Immobilization of Catalysts for Microchemical Applications , 2015 .

[2]  Martin Pumera,et al.  Fabrication of Micro/Nanoscale Motors. , 2015, Chemical reviews.

[3]  Samuel Sanchez,et al.  Self-Propelled Micromotors for Cleaning Polluted Water , 2013, ACS nano.

[4]  M. Krivec,et al.  The nature of chlorine-inhibition of photocatalytic degradation of dichloroacetic acid in a TiO2-based microreactor. , 2014, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[5]  Saravanamuthu Vigneswaran,et al.  A review on UV/TiO2 photocatalytic oxidation process (Journal Review) , 2008 .

[6]  M. Čeh,et al.  Highly efficient TiO2-based microreactor for photocatalytic applications. , 2013, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[7]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Density-controlled growth of aligned ZnO nanowire arrays by seedless chemical approach on smooth surfaces , 2008 .

[8]  Elias K. Stefanakos,et al.  One dimensional-ZnO nanostructures: Synthesis, properties and environmental applications , 2013 .

[9]  Wei Wang,et al.  Autonomous motion of metallic microrods propelled by ultrasound. , 2012, ACS nano.

[10]  Alexander Kuhn,et al.  Electric field-induced chemical locomotion of conducting objects. , 2011, Nature communications.

[11]  S. Mozia.  Photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs) in water and wastewater treatment. A review , 2010 .

[12]  S. López-Romero,et al.  Photoluminescence and Structural Properties of ZnO Nanorods Growth by Assisted-Hydrothermal Method , 2013 .

[13]  G. Zeng,et al.  An overview on limitations of TiO2-based particles for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and the corresponding countermeasures. , 2015, Water research.

[14]  A. Ibhadon,et al.  Heterogeneous Photocatalysis: Recent Advances and Applications , 2013 .

[15]  N. M. Julkapli,et al.  Review on ZnO hybrid photocatalyst: impact on photocatalytic activities of water pollutant degradation , 2016 .

[16]  Krzysztof K. Krawczyk,et al.  Magnetic Helical Micromachines: Fabrication, Controlled Swimming, and Cargo Transport , 2012, Advanced materials.

[17]  C. Saint,et al.  Recent developments in photocatalytic water treatment technology: a review. , 2010, Water research.

[18]  Sirilak Sattayasamitsathit,et al.  Water-driven micromotors for rapid photocatalytic degradation of biological and chemical warfare agents. , 2014, ACS nano.

[19]  Pei-Chun Lin,et al.  Spontaneous formation of one-dimensional ripples in transit to highly ordered two-dimensional herringbone structures through sequential and unequal biaxial mechanical stretching , 2007 .

[20]  J. Juan,et al.  Recent developments of zinc oxide based photocatalyst in water treatment technology: A review. , 2016, Water research.

[21]  Allen Pei,et al.  Water-driven micromotors. , 2012, ACS nano.