Energie budoucnosti a inovace

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Methamphetamine Removal from Aquatic Environments by Magnetic Microrobots with Cyclodextrin Chiral Recognition Elements
(Wiley, 2024-06-01) Mayorga Burrezo, Paula; Mayorga-Martinez, Carmen C.; Kuchař, Martin; Pumera, Martin
The growing consumption of drugs of abuse together with the inefficiency of the current wastewater treatment plants toward their presence has resulted in an emergent class of pollutants. Thus, the development of alternative approaches to remediate this environmental threat is urgently needed. Microrobots, combining autonomous motion with great tunability for the development of specific tasks, have turned into promising candidates to take on the challenge. Here, hybrid urchin-like hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) microparticles carrying magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles and surface functionalization with organic beta-cyclodextrin (CD) molecules are prepared with the aim of on-the-fly encapsulation of illicit drugs into the linked CD cavities of moving microrobots. The resulting mag-CD microrobots are tested against methamphetamine (MA), proving their ability for the removal of this psychoactive substance. A dramatically enhanced capture of MA from water with active magnetically powered microrobots when compared with static passive CD-modified particles is demonstrated. This work shows the advantages of enhanced mass transfer provided by the externally controlled magnetic navigation in microrobots that together with the versatility of their design is an efficient strategy to clean polluted waters. The study explores the use of magnetic cyclodextrin (CD) functionalized microrobots for cleaning water contaminated with drug residues, specifically methamphetamine. These microrobots, with a hematite/magnetite core and CD surface, enhance pollutant removal due to their combined magnetic movement and hydrophobic cavities of CDs on microrobot surfaces. The design emphasizes autonomous movement, improved mass transfer, and targeted functionalization for effective remediation.image
3D printing of MAX/PLA filament: Electrochemical in-situ etching for enhanced energy conversion and storage
(ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC, 2024-03-01) Nouseen, Shaista; Ghosh, Kalyan; Pumera, Martin
Two-dimensional (2D) MXenes are promising materials for a variety of sustainable energy-related applications such as photoelectrochemical water splitting and energy storage devices. Among the MXene family, the Ti3C2Tx is mostly prepared by selective etching of Al from the Ti3AlC2 MAX phase using hydrofluoric acid (HF) or in-situ produced HF as an etchant. However, the severe toxicity, handling of HF acid as well as the oxidation and degradation of freshly synthesized MXenes when stored as aqueous suspensions obstruct the large-scale production of MXenes. 3D printing is an innovative and versatile technology utilized for a plethora of applications in the field of energy applications. Thus, integration of 3D printing technology with the synthesis procedure of MXene will provide a new outlook for large-scale production and the long-storing capability of MXene. Herein, we fabricated a novel MAX (Ti3AlC2)/polylactic acid (PLA) filament for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing followed by etching of the 3D-printed MAX/PLA electrode into 3DP-etched-MAX employing chronoamperometry technique consecutively in 9 M HCl and 4 M NaOH as electrolytes. The 3D printed electrochemically etched MAX (3DP-etched-MAX) electrode shows promising behaviour for the photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and capacitive performance. In general, this work demonstrates a path of production of large-scale manufacturing of MAX/PLA filament and 3DP-etched-MAX electrodes without using toxic HF for energy conversion and energy storage applications. This work paves the way to fabricate other novel MAX filaments and electrodes for several applications beyond energy conversion and storage.
Chemical multiscale robotics for bacterial biofilm treatment
(ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY, 2024-03-03) Mayorga-Martinez, Carmen C.; Zhang, Li; Pumera, Martin
A biofilm constitutes a bacterial community encased in a sticky matrix of extracellular polymeric substances. These intricate microbial communities adhere to various host surfaces such as hard and soft tissues as well as indwelling medical devices. These microbial aggregates form a robust matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), leading to the majority of human infections. Such infections tend to exhibit high resistance to treatment, often progressing into chronic states. The matrix of EPS protects bacteria from a hostile environment and prevents the penetration of antibacterial agents. Modern robots at nano, micro, and millimeter scales are highly attractive candidates for biomedical applications due to their diverse functionalities, such as navigating in confined spaces and targeted multitasking. In this tutorial review, we describe key milestones in the strategies developed for the removal and eradication of biofilms using robots of different sizes and shapes. It can be seen that robots at different scales are useful and effective tools for treating bacterial biofilms, thus preventing persistent infections, the loss of costly implanted medical devices, and additional costs associated with hospitalization and therapies. This tutorial review describes key milestones in the strategies developed to remove and eradicate bacterial biofilms using robots of different sizes and shapes.
Intelligent Magnetic Microrobots with Fluorescent Internal Memory for Monitoring Intragastric Acidity
(WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH, 2024-07-01) Natarajan, Senthil Nathan; Oral, Çaatay Mert; Novobilský, Adam; Pumera, Martin
This study investigates the dynamic fluctuations of pH caused by gastric acid secretion, a process of both biological and clinical significance, with microrobots. Abnormal patterns of acidity often indicate gastrointestinal diseases, underlying the importance of precise intragastric pH monitoring. Traditional methods using fluorescent probes face challenges due to their faint solid-state fluorescence, limited target specificity, and accuracy. To overcome these obstacles, pH-responsive fluorescent organic microparticles decorated with magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles are engineered. These microrobots exhibit a unique fluorescence switching capability at a critical pH, enabling the monitoring of gastric acidity. The magnetic part of these microrobots ensures magnetic maneuverability to enable targeted navigation. The microrobots' fluorescence switching mechanism is elucidated through comprehensive spectroscopy, microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analyses, revealing molecular-level structural transformations upon interaction with gastric acid and antacids. These transformations, specifically protonation and deprotonation of the microrobots' fluorescent components, prompt a distinct fluorescence response correlating with pH shifts. In vitro and ex vivo experiments, simulating stomach conditions, confirm the microrobots' efficacy in pH-responsive imaging. The results showcase the promising diagnostic potential of microrobots for gastrointestinal tract diseases, marking a significant advancement in imaging-based medical diagnostics at targeted locations. Multi-fluorescent pH-sensitive molecular material-based magnetic microrobots are developed to monitor pH variations in the stomach. Magnetically-induced motion, collection, and navigation of the microrobots facilitate access to gastric fluid and enable pH monitoring at target locations. Additionally, fluorescence switching of the microrobots at different gastric fluid acidity enables real-time monitoring of pH changes. image
On-the-Fly Monitoring of the Capture and Removal of Nanoplastics with Nanorobots
(AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2024-04-09) Velikov, Dean; Jančík Procházková, Anna; Pumera, Martin
Nanoplastics are considered an emerging organic persistent pollutant with possible severe long-term implications for the environment and human health; therefore, their remediation is of paramount importance. However, detecting and determining the concentration of nanoparticles in water is challenging and time-consuming due to their small size. In this work, we present a universal yet simple method for the detection and quantification of nanoplastics to monitor their removal from water using magnetic nanorobots. Nanoplastics were stained with a hydrophobic fluorescent dye to enable the use of photoluminescence techniques for their detection and quantification. Magnetic nanorobotic tools were employed to capture and subsequently remove the nanoplastics from contaminated waters. We demonstrated that nanorobots can capture and remove more than 90% of the nanoplastics from an aqueous solution within 120 min. This work shows that easy-to-use common fluorescent dyes combined with photoluminescence spectroscopy methods can be used as an alternative method for the detection and quantification of nanoplastics in water environments and swarming magnetic nanorobots for efficient capture and removal. These methods hold great potential for future research to improve the quantification and removal of nanoplastics in water, and it will ultimately reduce their harmful impact on the environment and human health.

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