Nanocarpets for trapping particulates, bacteria and spores

Abstract

A nanofeature particulate trap comprising a plurality of densely packed nanofeatures, such as nanotubes, and a particulate detector incorporating the nanofeature particulate trap are provided. A method of producing a nanotrap structure alone or integrated with a particulate detector is also provided.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 386,526, filed June. 6, 2002.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH [0002] The U.S. Government has certain rights in this invention pursuant to grant No. NAS 7-1407, awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Space Science.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention is directed to the growth of dense mats or carpets of nanotubes, and more particularly to the growth of dense carpets of carbon nanotubes for use in trapping small particles for in-situ detection. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] Nanoscale structures are becoming increasingly important because they provide the basis for devices with dramatically reduced power and mass, while simultaneously having enhanced capabilities, and previous patent applications have disclosed the advantageous use of such nanostructures in a number of different real-ti...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is about a new type of nanofeature particulate trap that can detect and trap particles with high efficiency. The trap is made up of densely packed nanofeatures, such as nanotubes, which are designed to have large surface-to-volume ratios, hydrophobicity, and a confined radius of curvature. The nanofeatures can also be actuated using an electrical field or by inducing charge transfer. The nanofeature trap can detect particles as small as 0.5 micrometers and can be used in parallel processing of molecules. The invention also includes growth and processing techniques to control the physical properties of the nanofeatures and methods for positioning the trap during growth. The nanotubes used in the trap can be self-assembled and made of various materials such as silicon or carbon. The technical effects of this invention include improved accuracy and efficiency in particle detection and analysis.

Problems solved by technology

However, very often airborne and waterborne microbiological entities, such as macro-biomolecules, spores, bacteria, etc. occur in such low concentrations that real-time detectors are ineffective at sensing them.

In addition, the identification of these particulates often requires some form of intrusive analysis (tagging, DNA extraction, etc.), which cannot be accomplished if the particulate is free to move away from the location of the detector.

Finally, while many of the current nano-sensors are very sensitively tuned to capture and identify one particular species (DNA strands, Salmonella etc.), the devices may miss all the other particulates of interest present in the environment.

However, although high surface area activated charcoal is an excellent trapping material, the three-dimensional nature of the high surface area matrix makes it very difficult to use standard detection schemes, laser diagnostics techniques (UV fluorescence and other non-linear light scattering techniques) to actually distinguish the particles of interest (such as those containing proteins, nucleic acids, and coenzymes) from other organic and inorganic particulate contaminants.

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