Nano wire microporous structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11213791-B2
Application number	US-201515763064-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2015
Priority date	Oct 23, 2015
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A microporous structure includes an array of nano wires and a coating about the nano wires of the array. The coating defines pores between the nano wires.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a two-dimensional array of columnar nano wires;
a substrate from which each of the columnar nano wires project; and
a coating about the columnar nano wires, the coating defining pores between the columnar nano wires to form a microporous structure,
wherein the substrate comprises:
a first channel containing the two-dimensional array of columnar nano wires, the columnar nano wires of two-dimensional array are perpendicular to the substrate, and each of the columnar nano wires projecting from a floor of the first channel; and wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a second channel formed in the substrate and having a second floor; and

a second two-dimensional array of columnar nano wires, the columnar nano wires of the second two-dimensional array are perpendicular to the substrate, and each of the columnar nano wires of the second two-dimensional array projecting from the second floor the second channel; and
a second coating about the columnar nano wires of the second two-dimensional array, the second coating defining second pores between the columnar nano wires of the second two-dimensional array to form a second microporous structure,
wherein the coating about the columnar nano wires of the two-dimensional array has a first thickness and
wherein the second coating about the columnar nano wire of the second two-dimensional array has a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an organic phase supported within the pores to form a supported liquid membrane.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate holds the columnar nano wires of the first and/or second two-dimensional array in place relative to one another.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coating joins the columnar nano wires of first and/or second two-dimensional array.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the columnar nano wires of first and/or second two-dimensional array have bent portions that are.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microporous structure has a thickness corresponding to a height of the columnar nano wires.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the columnar nano wires of the first and/or second two-dimensional array has a first end in contact with the substrate and a second end free of the substrate.

8. A method comprising:
forming an array of nano wires upon a substrate comprising a first channel and a second channel;
coating a first plurality of the nano wires of the array within the first channel with a first thickness of a coating to form a first plurality of pores between the first plurality of nano wires,
wherein the first plurality of nano wires is projected from a floor of the first channel and perpendicular to the substrate; and
coating a second plurality of the nano wires of the array within the second channel with a second thickness of the coating to form a second plurality of pores between the second plurality of nano wires,
wherein the second plurality of nano wires is projected from a second floor of the second channel and perpendicular to the substrate, and
wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the nano wires are coated such that coatings of different nano wires interconnect the different nano wires.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising controlling a density of the array of nano wires upon the substrate to control a density of the first plurality of pores and the second plurality of pores of the microporous structure.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising controlling a density of the array of nano wires upon the substrate to control a size of the first plurality of pores and the second plurality of pores of the microporous structure.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising filling the first plurality of pores and the second plurality of pores with an active phase to form a supported liquid membrane.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the coating is applied while the nano wires are in a bent state.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming of the array of nano wires comprises nano imprinting the nano wires.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the array of nano wires formed upon the substrate is formed in a first and second two-dimensional array of columnar nano wires.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Barcelo Steven
• Ge Ning
• Rogacs Anita

Classifications

• B01D69/106

  Membranes in the pores of a support, e.g. polymerized in the pores or voids · CPC title

• B01D67/0079

  Manufacture of membranes comprising organic and inorganic components · CPC title

• B01D67/0041

  by agglomeration of particles in the dry state · CPC title

• B01D67/0004

  by agglomeration of particles · CPC title

• B01D71/022

  Metals · CPC title