Nano-pore Array Membranes for Tunable Hydraulic Permeability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current filtration membranes, particularly those made of polymers, have polydisperse and irregularly shaped pores, making it difficult to achieve desired hydraulic permeability while maintaining molecular selectivity, and are costly to produce using MEMS/NEMS technology.
Innovation Solution
The use of nano-imprinting and nano-molding processes to create arrays of nano-pores with controlled dimensions and shapes in a variety of materials, allowing for tunable pore size and spacing, and the ability to fabricate membranes with both positive and negative nano-elements, enabling precise control over pore shape and size without relying on silicon microelectronics-based MEMS/NEMS processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional polymer filtration membranes are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but pore size distribution becomes polydisperse and irregular, compromising molecular selectivity and hydraulic permeability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses track-etching to create precise pore structures by copying a template pattern into the polymer membrane. This allows reproduction of uniform pore sizes and shapes without requiring complex manufacturing processes, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and pore uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls pore size and distribution by changing the track-etching parameters such as ion beam energy, exposure time, and etching conditions. This enables precise control over pore dimensions while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process, addressing both manufacturing cost and pore uniformity requirements.
2Manufacturing precision
If track-etching is used to create uniform pores, then pore size uniformity is improved, but membrane thickness increases and porosity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial track-etching where only a portion of the membrane thickness undergoes the etching process. This creates uniform pores in the required depth without unnecessarily increasing the entire membrane thickness, thereby maintaining high porosity while achieving pore uniformity.
3Reliability
If Si MEMS/NEMS technology is used to produce nanopore arrays, then hydraulic permeability and molecular selectivity are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs track-etching technology which uses relatively inexpensive equipment and materials compared to Si MEMS/NEMS. The process creates functional nanopore arrays without requiring costly semiconductor fabrication facilities, thereby maintaining high performance while reducing manufacturing cost.
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
This approach results in membranes with improved hydraulic permeability and molecular selectivity, reduced manufacturing costs, and the ability to tailor nano-pore diameters and selectivity, while avoiding silicon fouling issues, making them suitable for biomedical and industrial applications.
Implementation Method 1
Nano-imprinting or nano-molding processing is used together with thin film disposition to produce micro- or nano-pores assembled in arrays in a membrane
Implementation Method 2
Nano-imprinting or nano-molding processing is used together with thin film disposition to produce micro- or nano-pores assembled in arrays in a membrane
Implementation Method 3
The pores of these arrays may be arranged to be electrically biased as a whole array or individually biased to further control sorting, filtering, and flow
Implementation Method 4
The pores of these arrays may be arranged to be electrically biased as a whole array or individually biased to further control sorting, filtering, and flow
Implementation Method 5
these nano-pore array membrane structures may use fluid flow to and through the pores and/or electric and/or magnetic fields to trap nano-scale structures at the pore sites
Data Source
AI summary
Micro- or nano-pores are produced in a membrane for various applications including filtration and sorting functions. Pores with at least one cross-sectional dimension in or near the nano-scale are provided. Device designs and processing allow for the use of thin film disposition and nano-imprinting or nano-molding to produce arrays of nano-pores in membrane materials functioning in applications such as filtration membranes, drug application/control structures, body fluid sampling structures, and sorting membranes. The nano-imprinting or nano-molding approach is utilized to create nano-elements in an organic or inorganic mold material with at least one nano-element cross-sectional dimension in or close to the nano-scale. These nano-elements can be in various shapes including slits, cones, columns, domes, and hemispheres.