Pick up and dispose of pollutants from water via temperature-responsive micellar copolymers on magnetite nanorobots
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Nano/micromotor technology is evolving as an effective method for water treatment applications in comparison to existing static mechanisms. The dynamic nature of the nano/micromotor particles enable faster mass transport and a uniform mixing ensuring an improved pollutant degradation and removal. Here we develop thermosensitive magnetic nanorobots (TM nanorobots) consisting of a pluronic tri-block copolymer (PTBC) that functions as hands for pollutant removal. These TM nanorobots are incorporated with iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles as an active material to enable magnetic propulsion. The pickup and disposal of toxic pollutants are monitored by intermicellar agglomeration and separation of PTBC at different temperatures. The as-prepared TM nanorobots show excellent arsenic and atrazine removal efficiency. Furthermore, the adsorbed toxic contaminants on the TM nanorobots can be disposed by a simple cooling process and exhibit good recovery retention after multiple reuse cycles. This combination of temperature sensitive aggregation/separation coupled with magnetic propulsion opens a plethora of opportunities in the applicability of nanorobots in water treatment and targeted pollutant removal approaches.
Source: Nature Communications
Institutions: University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Central European Institute of Technology, China Medical University, Yonsei University, China Medical University Hospital, Mendel University in Brno, Brno University of Technology
Language: English
Topic: Micro and Nano Robotics
Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $5,890
Awards: G6287325412, G8720576029
OpenAlex ID: W4214529479