Zirconia/Graphene Oxide Hybrid Micromotors for Selective Capture of Nerve Agents

Self-propelled zirconia-graphene/Pt hybrid tubular micromotors, prepared by electrochemical template synthesis, are used for both high-affinity capture and isolation of nerve agents. The simultaneous electrochemical deposition of zirconia and reduced graphene oxide leads to high surface area with a needle-like zirconia microstructure. The attractive surface properties of graphene sheets are used as growth directing template for the electrochemical synthesis of high surface area of zirconia nanostructures for effective and selective binding of organophosphate compounds. Such selective binding is dramatically enhanced by the rapid movement of the motors and the corresponding bubble-induced solution mixing. The greatly increased fluid transport leads to a 15-fold faster remediation compared to the use of the static counterpart structures. The unique material properties allow the convenient alkaline regeneration of the micromotor surface, improving the cost effectiveness of this methodology. The new strategy provides an opportunity to develop reusable micromotors for high-affinity capture-based separation of nerve agents and can be extended to verification analysis of chemical weapon convention. Such coupling of advanced surface materials with rapidly moving micromotors holds considerable promise for diverse defense and sustainable environmental applications.