Bubble-Propelled Hierarchical Porous Micromotors from Evolved Double Emulsions

Abstract

Bubble-propelled micromotors with well-engineered hierarchical porous structures are developed by a simple and flexible strategy for efficient water decontamination. Controllably and spontaneously evolved double emulsions from microfluidics are used as templates for continuous fabrication of the micromotors in one-step. The micromotors possess interconnected hierarchical porous structures with two well-aligned microscale pores incorporated in nanoporous matrix. The opening hole of one microscale pore at the bottom of micromotor is decorated with Fe3O4@Ag nanoparticles to decompose H2O2 for bubble-propelled motion. Due to their hydrophobic and magnetic hierarchical porous matrix, the micromotors can be used for capture of oil pollutants in water, and then easy recovery by using a magnetic field. Moreover, the micromotors can be flexibly functionalized by simply incorporating functional nanoparticles into the hierarchical porous structures for efficient water decontamination. This is demonstrated by modifyi...