title: Water-driven micromotors for rapid photocatalytic degradation of biological and chemical warfare agents.
abstract: Threats of chemical and biological warfare agents (CBWA) represent a serious global concern and require rapid and efficient neutralization methods. We present a highly effective micromotor strategy for photocatalytic degradation of CBWA based on light-activated TiO2/Au/Mg microspheres that propel autonomously in natural water and obviate the need for external fuel, decontaminating reagent, or mechanical agitation. The activated TiO2/Au/Mg micromotors generate highly reactive oxygen species responsible for the efficient destruction of the cell membranes of the anthrax simulant Bacillus globigii spore, as well as rapid and complete in situ mineralization of the highly persistent organophosphate nerve agents into nonharmful products. The water-driven propulsion of the TiO2/Au/Mg micromotors facilitates efficient fluid transport and dispersion of the photogenerated reactive oxidative species and their interaction with the CBWA. Coupling of the photocatalytic surface of the micromotors and their autonomous water-driven propulsion thus leads to a reagent-free operation which holds a considerable promise for diverse "green" defense and environmental applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego , La Jolla, California 92093, United States.
authors.forename: Jinxing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Virendra V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Sirilak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sattayasamitsathit
authors.forename: Jahir
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Orozco
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: Renfeng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jurado-Sanchez
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fedorak
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D054045:Biological Warfare Agents; D002384:Catalysis; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D006046:Gold; D008274:Magnesium; D008863:Microspheres; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D014025:Titanium; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D054045:Biological Warfare Agents; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D014867:Water; C009495:titanium dioxide; D006046:Gold; D014025:Titanium; D008274:Magnesium
keywords: biological agents; chemical warfare defense; micromotors; photocatalytic degradation; titanium dioxide