articleNano LettersMar 21, 2016HYBRID OA

Graphene-Based Microbots for Toxic Heavy Metal Removal and Recovery from Water

Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems · Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia · +2 more institutions

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Abstract

Heavy metal contamination in water is a serious risk to the public health and other life forms on earth. Current research in nanotechnology is developing new nanosystems and nanomaterials for the fast and efficient removal of pollutants and heavy metals from water. Here, we report graphene oxide-based microbots (GOx-microbots) as active self-propelled systems for the capture, transfer, and removal of a heavy metal (i.e., lead) and its subsequent recovery for recycling purposes. Microbots' structure consists of nanosized multilayers of graphene oxide, nickel, and platinum, providing different functionalities. The outer layer of graphene oxide captures lead on the surface, and the inner layer of platinum…

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