Reconfigurable Self‐Assembling Photocatalytic Magnetic Liquid Metal Microrobot Swarm for Microplastic Capture and Degradation
Microplastic pollution has emerged as a global environmental concern, requiring effective methods for its capture and removal from ecosystems. Inspired by natural swarming behaviors, micro/nanorobot swarms are developed to address challenges in fields such as environmental remediation. An innovative solution is presented designing reconfigurable and regenerable liquid metal microrobots (LiquidBots) made from bio-friendly gallium-based liquid metal. These LiquidBots can self-assemble into swarms and actively capture microplastics through electrostatic interactions. They can be regenerated via ultrasonic treatment, allowing for repeated use without loss of efficiency. This approach offers an efficient, sustainable, and adaptable solution to the growing problem of microplastic pollution in aquatic environments.
Authors
- Peng Xia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0442-2759)
- Martin Pumera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5846-2951)
- Long Ren (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3921-2372)
- Xianghua Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6914-1598)
- Jianguo Guan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2223-4524)
Institutions
- Central European Institute of Technology (CZ)
- VSB - Technical University of Ostrava (CZ)
- China Medical University (TW)
- Wuhan University of Technology (CN)
- China Medical University Hospital (TW)
- Brno University of Technology (CZ)
- Wuhan Institute of Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Small
- Published
- 2025-08-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202501351
- Citations
- 11
- Primary Topic
- Micro and Nano Robotics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 13.84
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy
- Grantová Agentura České Republiky
- China Scholarship Council
- Central European Institute of Technology
- European Regional Development Fund
- European Social Fund