Gold Nanostructure Substrate for Uniform Plasmonic Heating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing nanostructure substrates experience non-uniform heating and reaction conditions due to localized hot spots and uneven energy distribution when irradiated with electromagnetic waves, limiting their effectiveness in applications requiring homogeneous medium reactions.

Innovation Solution

A nanostructure substrate design featuring a group of composite particles with a larger geometric surface area on the front surface than the back, where fine metal particles are self-aggregated and embedded in a resin base, with a reduced and deposited coating layer promoting cohesive and electromagnetic polarization actions for uniform energy distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If metal fine particles are aggregated to enhance cohesive polarization action, then the reaction homogeneity improves, but local hot spots are generated causing non-uniform heating

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereaction homogeneityVSAvoidlocal hot spots
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating asymmetric composite particles with different surface areas on front and back surfaces. The front surface has a larger geometric area to receive electromagnetic waves, while the back surface is smaller. This asymmetric structure directs the electromagnetic energy absorption and heat generation to specific regions, converting the harmful localized hot spots into a controlled, uniform heating pattern across the particle population, thereby achieving both reaction homogeneity and controlled temperature distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If metal fine particles are dispersed to reduce hot spots, then temperature uniformity improves, but cohesive polarization action weakens reducing reaction efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature uniformityVSAvoidreaction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite materials by combining metal fine particles with a coating layer to form asymmetric composite particles. The metal core provides cohesive polarization action for efficient reactions, while the asymmetric geometry (larger front surface, smaller back surface) ensures uniform electromagnetic wave absorption and temperature distribution. This composite structure integrates both requirements: maintaining particle interaction for efficiency while achieving uniform heating through geometric control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Manufacturing precision

If asymmetric composite particles with larger front surface area are used, then uniform electromagnetic wave absorption improves, but particle complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy distribution uniformityVSAvoidparticle structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming asymmetric composite particles with specific surface area ratios before exposing them to electromagnetic waves. The particles are manufactured with a predetermined larger front surface area and smaller back surface area, so that when electromagnetic waves incident from the front, the energy absorption is automatically optimized. This pre-designed geometric asymmetry eliminates the need for complex real-time control mechanisms, achieving uniform energy distribution through simple structural design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The substrate enables uniform heating and reaction across the entire surface, allowing for homogeneous medium interactions and mild reactions without local hot spots, facilitating efficient catalytic and chemical processes.

Implementation Method 1

a group of fine particles of metal reduced from an aqueous solution has a strong cohesive force even in an aqueous solution. Therefore, it is known that cohesive polarization action works among fine particles, and metal fine particles stick to each other.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCohesive polarization action: Cohesion

Implementation Method 2

a plasmon of a group of gold fine particles is known to generate a strong absorption band in the visible light region. This plasmon is defined as a resonant oscillation of free electrons in nanoparticles, guided by incident light.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLocalized surface plasmon resonance: Resonance

Implementation Method 3

the nanostructure substrate having a front surface and a back surface, including: a metal structure body including a group of composite particles, and a substrate including a resin base body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic polarization action: Polarisation

Data Source

PatentEP3960699B1Nanostructure substrate
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 EEJA LTD
  • EP3960699B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3960699B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3960699B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

To provide a nanostructure substrate including a group of composite particles in which a reduced and deposited coating layer shows cohesive polarization action and/or electromagnetic polarization action. Also, to provide a nanostructure substrate in which such active sites are dramatically increased to allow a medium to react homogenously over the entire nanostructure substrate. On a transparent semi-curable polyester resin film, a group of gold fine particles (average particle diameter: 20 nm) are reduced and deposited from an aqueous solution and self-aggregated. A half of the lower part of the group of gold fine particles is submerged in the polyester resin film, and embedded in the front surface side of the transparent resin base body. Then, this transparent substrate is immersed in an electroless gold-plating solution repeatedly to deposit gold crystal grains on the fixed group of gold fine particles.