Plastic waste in the seas and oceans is still one of the planet’s major pollution problems. To fight against this scourge, scientists have created a bionic robot-fish capable of eliminating microplastics in water.
An innovative invention to combat marine pollution
Microplastics are among the worst environmental pollutants in the world. Whether in Antarctica, in the air, on the ocean floor or in the human body, microplastics are everywhere. However, the greatest impact of these particles is on the oceans and the many life forms they support. Indeed, when plastics thrown into the oceans decompose and are consumed by fish and other animals, it can wreak havoc on marine ecosystems.
To combat this devastating phenomenon, scientists at Sichuan University in China have created a bionic robot fish capable of removing microplastics from the oceans. Just like a real fish, this robot is able to swim, and it has a soft, stretchy, flexible and self-healing body. Very small, the bionic robot-fish is only 13 millimeters long and swims at a speed of about 30 millimeters per second. This is similar to the speed at which plankton drift through water.
Despite its small size, the robot is able to pull a load of up to 5 kilograms. As for how the robot gets rid of microplastics, these particles are made up of organic dyes, antibiotics and heavy metals. These elements have strong chemical bonds and electrostatic interactions with the material that makes up the robotfish’s body. Thanks to these connections, the fish automatically absorbs and eliminates microplastics that are nearby.
A new material inspired by mother-of-pearl
To create this robot fish, the scientists were particularly inspired by mother-of-pearl, a hard, white substance that serves as an interior coating for the shells of many species of molluscs. Scientists generated a material comparable to this substance by stacking several tiny sheets of molecules using the chemical gradient of nacre. In addition to waste disposal, the use of these bionic robot fish will also allow scientists to monitor the toxicity of collected particles.
For now, however, this bionic robot fish is in the conceptual stage, and much more research will be needed to make it a reality. ” Currently, the soft robot of our study only integrates the function of directional collection of microplastics from the water surface. And everything must be optimized and improved before large-scale application “, explained in particular Xinxing Zhangco-author of the study, to Interesting Engineering.
Either way, scientists see a lot of potential in this technology, especially when it comes to durability and speed. Remember that the material that constitutes the robot-fish gives it self-healing capabilities, which makes it more resistant and durable than the other methods of eliminating microplastics currently used. They also believe that this concept provides an excellent basis for other similar projects. The results of the study concerning this bionic robot-fish have been published in the journal Nano Letters. As a reminder, students have created a robot-turtle to clean up the oceans.
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