Light-Programmable g-C3N4 Microrobots with Negative Photogravitaxis for Photocatalytic Antibiotic Degradation

Microrobots enhance contact with pollutants through their movement and flow-induced mixing, substantially improving wastewater treatment efficiency beyond traditional diffusion-limited methods. g-C3N4 is an affordable and environmentally friendly photocatalyst that has been extensively researched in...

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Main Authors: Yunhuan Yuan, Xianghua Wu, Bindu Kalleshappa, Martin Pumera
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2025-01-01
Series:Research
Online Access:https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/research.0565
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author Yunhuan Yuan
Xianghua Wu
Bindu Kalleshappa
Martin Pumera
author_facet Yunhuan Yuan
Xianghua Wu
Bindu Kalleshappa
Martin Pumera
author_sort Yunhuan Yuan
collection DOAJ
description Microrobots enhance contact with pollutants through their movement and flow-induced mixing, substantially improving wastewater treatment efficiency beyond traditional diffusion-limited methods. g-C3N4 is an affordable and environmentally friendly photocatalyst that has been extensively researched in various fields such as biomedicine and environmental remediation. However, compared to other photocatalytic materials like TiO2 and ZnO, which are widely used in the fabrication of micro- and nanorobots, research on g-C3N4 for these applications is still in its early stages. This work presents microrobots entirely based on g-C3N4 microtubes, which can initiate autonomous movement when exposed to ultraviolet and visible light. We observed distinct motion behaviors of the microrobots under light irradiation of different wavelengths. Specifically, under ultraviolet light, the microrobots exhibit negative photogravitaxis, while under visible light, they demonstrate a combination of 3-dimensional motion and 2-dimensional motion. Therefore, the wavelength of the light can be used for programming the motion style of the microrobots and subsequently their application. We show that the microrobots can effectively degrade the antibiotic tetracycline, displaying their potential for antibiotic removal. This exploration of autonomous motion behaviors under different wavelength conditions helps to expand research on g-C3N4-based microrobots and their potential for environmental remediation.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2639-5274
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
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spelling doaj-art-858d1219aeb94144a0f42e0ffe57cd9b2025-01-28T08:01:34ZengAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)Research2639-52742025-01-01810.34133/research.0565Light-Programmable g-C3N4 Microrobots with Negative Photogravitaxis for Photocatalytic Antibiotic DegradationYunhuan Yuan0Xianghua Wu1Bindu Kalleshappa2Martin Pumera3Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno 61200, Czech Republic.Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno 61200, Czech Republic.Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno 61200, Czech Republic.Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno 61200, Czech Republic.Microrobots enhance contact with pollutants through their movement and flow-induced mixing, substantially improving wastewater treatment efficiency beyond traditional diffusion-limited methods. g-C3N4 is an affordable and environmentally friendly photocatalyst that has been extensively researched in various fields such as biomedicine and environmental remediation. However, compared to other photocatalytic materials like TiO2 and ZnO, which are widely used in the fabrication of micro- and nanorobots, research on g-C3N4 for these applications is still in its early stages. This work presents microrobots entirely based on g-C3N4 microtubes, which can initiate autonomous movement when exposed to ultraviolet and visible light. We observed distinct motion behaviors of the microrobots under light irradiation of different wavelengths. Specifically, under ultraviolet light, the microrobots exhibit negative photogravitaxis, while under visible light, they demonstrate a combination of 3-dimensional motion and 2-dimensional motion. Therefore, the wavelength of the light can be used for programming the motion style of the microrobots and subsequently their application. We show that the microrobots can effectively degrade the antibiotic tetracycline, displaying their potential for antibiotic removal. This exploration of autonomous motion behaviors under different wavelength conditions helps to expand research on g-C3N4-based microrobots and their potential for environmental remediation.https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/research.0565
spellingShingle Yunhuan Yuan
Xianghua Wu
Bindu Kalleshappa
Martin Pumera
Light-Programmable g-C3N4 Microrobots with Negative Photogravitaxis for Photocatalytic Antibiotic Degradation
Research
title Light-Programmable g-C3N4 Microrobots with Negative Photogravitaxis for Photocatalytic Antibiotic Degradation
title_full Light-Programmable g-C3N4 Microrobots with Negative Photogravitaxis for Photocatalytic Antibiotic Degradation
title_fullStr Light-Programmable g-C3N4 Microrobots with Negative Photogravitaxis for Photocatalytic Antibiotic Degradation
title_full_unstemmed Light-Programmable g-C3N4 Microrobots with Negative Photogravitaxis for Photocatalytic Antibiotic Degradation
title_short Light-Programmable g-C3N4 Microrobots with Negative Photogravitaxis for Photocatalytic Antibiotic Degradation
title_sort light programmable g c3n4 microrobots with negative photogravitaxis for photocatalytic antibiotic degradation
url https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/research.0565
work_keys_str_mv AT yunhuanyuan lightprogrammablegc3n4microrobotswithnegativephotogravitaxisforphotocatalyticantibioticdegradation
AT xianghuawu lightprogrammablegc3n4microrobotswithnegativephotogravitaxisforphotocatalyticantibioticdegradation
AT bindukalleshappa lightprogrammablegc3n4microrobotswithnegativephotogravitaxisforphotocatalyticantibioticdegradation
AT martinpumera lightprogrammablegc3n4microrobotswithnegativephotogravitaxisforphotocatalyticantibioticdegradation