Micromotors purify wastewater and create green energy

Tiny self-propelled devices called micromotors can be designed to move through wastewater, targeting specific contaminants. They have the unique ability to carry functional materials or coatings that can adsorb or react with pollutants, helping to remove them from the water.

But what if they could be optimized to also produce energy?

Cleaning water and generating ammonia

Researchers at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) in Spain have created autonomous micromotors that move around efficiently cleaning wastewater as they go and producing ammonia that could be used as a renewable energy source. 

The motors will now be tuned using an AI technique created at the University of Gothenburg to optimize their outcomes making them super-efficient cleaning and energy-generating machines.