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Type: 
Journal
Description: 
The increasing use of polymers has led to an uncontrollable accumulation of polymer waste in the environment, evidencing the urgent need for effective and definitive strategies to degrade them. Here, self‐propelled light‐powered magnetic field‐navigable hematite/metal Janus microrobots that can actively move, capture, and degrade polymers are presented. Janus microrobots are fabricated by asymmetrically depositing different metals on hematite microspheres prepared by low‐cost and large‐scale chemical synthesis. All microrobots exhibit fuel‐free motion capability, with light‐controlled on/off switching of motion and magnetic field‐controlled directionality. Higher speeds are observed for bimetallic coatings with respect to single metals. This is due to their larger mixed potential difference with hematite as indicated by Tafel measurements. As a model for polymers, the total degradation of high molecular weight …
Publisher: 
Publication date: 
1 Jul 2021
Authors: 

Mario Urso, Martina Ussia, Martin Pumera

Biblio References: 
Volume: 31 Issue: 28 Pages: 2101510
Origin: 
Advanced Functional Materials