Descripción del proyecto
Unos nanorrobots buceadores se lanzan para salvarnos de peligros acuáticos medioambientales
Desde el tratamiento de aguas residuales hasta la recuperación del medio ambiente tras fugas o vertidos, limpiar el agua para hacerla más segura para el ser humano y el medio ambiente es un desafío acuciante. A diferencia de las grandes cantidades de basura que las personas pueden eliminar de parques y playas, carecemos de unos buceadores diminutos que eliminen las amenazas invisibles de las aguas residuales y los ecosistemas acuáticos. Todo eso está cambiando con la llegada de los robots a micro y nanoescala, robots autopropulsados de un tamaño especialmente pequeño que prometen limpiar las aguas peligrosas de una forma increíblemente eficiente gracias a mezclas activas y a una gran actividad superficial. El proyecto financiado con fondos europeos Microbots4Enviro está desarrollando micro/nanorrobots autónomos sensibles a la luz basados en materiales fotovoltaicos. Estos nanorrobots versátiles y de diseño elaborado pueden no solo servir de forma activa como limpiadores de contaminantes (como tintes y explosivos), sino también actuar como combatientes robustos de las bacterias en aguas contaminadas.
Objetivo
Environmental degradation issue is a global concern. Great efforts have been made to develop efficient and green approaches for wastewater treatment. Self-propelled nano/microrobots are the forefront of nanotechnology, holding great promise for environmental remediation. Visible light driven semiconductor photocatalyst would be the great catalyst to power such micromachines for environmental remediation. BiVO4 has attracted researchers’ great interest. However, its drawbacks such as significant recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, poor electrical conductivity and slow hole transfer kinetics limit its applications. To enhance the photocatalytic efficiency, this project elaborately develops light-responsive tubular micromotors with smart material design strategy: BiVO4 is robust visible light absorber; ZnO nanorod arrays act as electron transfer channel; rGO films function as electron acceptor; and Co-Pi serves as hole acceptor and catalytic site. The Microbots4Enviro project aims to: (i) establish novel tubular Co-Pi/BiVO4/ZnO/rGO micromotors; (ii) study the comprehensive performance of micromotors in the polluted water with three types of contaminant models (i.e. dye, explosive and bacteria model); and (iii) integrate abundant micromotors in 3DP-motor and demonstrate the pilot-scale test in artificial 5×5m2 pool for environmental remediation. This project will bring an experienced researcher, Dr. Huaijuan Zhou to undertake this cutting-edge multidisciplinary research project at UCT Prague in Czech Republic under the supervision of Prof. Martin Pumera, Director of Center for Advanced Functional Nanorobots. This fellowship will not only restart her research career, but also broaden her knowledge and expertise in the emerging area of self-propelled autonomous nano/micromachines. This project contributes to creating a strong scientific and technical base for European science and technology, and fostering the competitiveness and growth of EU economy.
Ámbito científico
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- natural scienceschemical sciencescatalysisphotocatalysis
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssemiconductivity
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materials
- social sciencespolitical sciencesgovernment systems
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF-EF-CAR - CAR – Career Restart panelCoordinador
166 28 Praha
Chequia