Researchers from ICIQ in Spain have designed micromotors that move around on their own to purify wastewater. The process creates ammonia, which can serve as a green energy source. Now, an AI method developed at the University of Gothenburg will be used to tune the motors to achieve the best possible results.
Micromotors have emerged as a promising tool for environmental remediation, largely due to their ability to autonomously navigate and perform specific tasks on a microscale. The micromotor is comprised of a tube made of silicon and manganese dioxide in which chemical reactions cause the release of bubbles from one end. These bubbles act as a motor that sets the tube in motion.
Researchers from the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) have built a micromotor covered with the chemical compound laccase, which accelerates the conversion of urea found in polluted water into ammonia when it comes into contact with the motor. The research is published in the journal Nanoscale.
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