Membrane template synthesis of microtube engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017022620-A1
Application number	US-201615161615-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 23, 2016
Priority date	Jun 2, 2011
Publication date	Jan 26, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods, structures, devices and systems are disclosed for fabrication of microtube engines using membrane template electrodeposition. Such nanomotors operate based on bubble-induced propulsion in biological fluids and salt-rich environments. In one aspect, fabricating microengines includes depositing a polymer layer on a membrane template, depositing a conductive metal layer on the polymer layer, and dissolving the membrane template to release the multilayer microtubes.

First claim

1 - 26 . (canceled)

27 . A microstructure, comprising:
a microtube having a large opening and a short opening at opposite ends of the microtube and a tube body connecting the large opening and the short opening and a spatially reducing size along a longitudinal direction from the large opening to the small opening; the microtube further including a layered wall structure defining the tube body, the layered wall structure having at least two layers, a first layer that is an external layer formed of a material capable of being functionalized, and a second layer that is an inner layer.

28 . The microstructure of claim 27 , wherein the first layer comprises a polymer material.

29 . The microstructure of claim 28 , wherein the polymer material comprises polyaniline (PANT) or polypyrrole (PPy) or poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT).

30 . The microstructure of claim 27 , wherein the second layer comprises a material that is reactive with a fuel or is a catalyst of a fuel.

31 . The microstructure of claim 30 , wherein the material that is reactive with a fuel or is a catalyst of a fuel comprises a conductive metal.

32 . The microstructure of claim 30 , wherein the material that is a catalyst of a fuel comprises platinum.

33 . The microstructure of claim 27 , wherein the template comprises cyclopore polycarbonated membrane.

34 . The microstructure of claim 33 , wherein the cyclopore polycarbonated membrane comprises an asymmetrical, conically-shaped pore structure.

35 . The microstructure of claim 34 , wherein the asymmetrical conically-shaped pore structure comprises different cone angles.

36 . The microstructure of claim 27 , wherein the microtube comprises a self-propulsion.

37 . The microstructure of claim 27 , wherein the microtube comprises a fuel based microtube.

38 . The microstructure of claim 37 , wherein the fuel based microtube uses a 0.2%-30% concentration hydrogen peroxide fuel.

39 . A trilayer microtube, comprising:
a tube body connected to a large opening and a short opening at an opposite end of the tube body, the short opening and a spatially reducing size along a longitudinal direction from the large opening to the small opening; the microtube further including a layered wall structure comprising at least three layers defining the tube body; wherein a first layer that is an external layer formed of a material capable of being functionalized, a second layer that is between a third inner layer and the outer layer; wherein the third layer is an inner layer.

40 . The microtube of claim 39 , wherein the first layer comprises a polymer material.

41 . The microtube of claim 40 , wherein the polymer material comprises PANI or polypyrrole (PPy) or poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT).

42 . The microtube of claim 39 , wherein the intermediate second layer comprises a ferromagnetic material.

43 . The microtube of claim 42 , wherein the ferromagnetic material comprises nickel, iron or cobalt.

44 . The microtube of claim 39 , wherein the third layer comprises a material that is reactive with a fuel or a catalyst of a fuel.

45 . The microtube of claim 44 , wherein the material that is reactive with a fuel or a catalyst of a fuel comprises a conductive material.

46 . The microtube of claim 44 , wherein the material that is reactive with a fuel or a catalyst of a fuel a fuel comprises platinum.

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• Wang Joseph
• Gao Wei
• Sattayasamitsathit Sirilak

Classifications

• B01J2235/30

  Scanning electron microscopy; Transmission electron microscopy · CPC title

• B01J2235/00

  Indexing scheme associated with group B01J35/00, related to the analysis techniques used to determine the catalysts form or properties · CPC title

• B01J37/0215

  Coating · CPC title

• B01J23/892

  Nickel and noble metals · CPC title

• C25D1/20

  Separation of the formed objects from the electrodes {with no destruction of said electrodes} · CPC title