Surface topography with ferromagnetic polymer pillars capable of movement in response to magnetic fields

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11648374-B2
Application number	US-201916249532-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2019
Priority date	Jan 17, 2018
Publication date	May 16, 2023
Grant date	May 16, 2023

Abstract

An anti-fouling surface having micron scale pillars embedded with Fe3O4 nanoparticles is designed. The pillars may be repeatedly induced to move according to a predetermined frequency, such as one that mimic that of the beating movement of natural cilia, through the application of a magnetic field. When square-shaped pillars with a height of 10 μm, width of 2 μm, and inter-pattern distance of 5 μm actuated for three minutes, more than 99.9 percent of biofilm cells were detached and via gentle rinsing from the surface having the pillars. The anti-fouling surface enables effective prevention of biofilm formation and removal of established biofilms, and can be applied to a broad spectrum of polymers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A surface having an anti-fouling topography, comprising:
a plurality of pillars formed from a polymer and extending from a substrate of the polymer to define a corresponding plurality of free ends, wherein the substrate comprises a catheter having a wire extending therethrough; and
a plurality of magnetic particles disposed in each of the plurality of pillars such that the magnetic particles are more highly concentrated in the free ends of each of the plurality of pillars.

2. The surface of claim 1 , wherein wire extends helically through the catheter.

3. The surface of claim 2 , wherein the wire is coupled to a power source and is configured to produce a magnetic field that will encompass the plurality of pillars.

4. The surface of claim 3 , wherein the power source includes an oscillator that is configured to provide a pulsed direct current output to the wire.

5. The surface of claim 4 , wherein the magnetic particles comprise superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

6. The surface of claim 5 , wherein the polymer comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane).

7. The surface of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of pillars have a height of 10 μm, and width of 2 μm.

8. The surface of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of pillars are disposed in a predetermined uniform pattern having an inter-pattern distance of 5 μm.

9. The surface of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of pillars are square in cross-section.

Assignees

• Ren Dacheng
• Gu Huan
• Univ Syracuse

Inventors

• Ren Dacheng
• Gu Huan

Classifications

• B08B17/065

  the surface having a microscopic surface pattern to achieve the same effect as a lotus flower · CPC title

• B82Y5/00

  Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery · CPC title

• A61M2025/0058

  having an electroactive polymer material, e.g. for steering purposes, for control of flexibility, for locking, for opening or closing · CPC title

• A61M2025/006

  having a special surface topography or special surface properties, e.g. roughened or knurled surface · CPC title

• B82Y25/00

  Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance · CPC title