Nanostructure Encapsulation via Plug and Shell
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for encapsulating nanostructures face challenges such as instability, toxicity, and limited material flexibility due to corrosion, oxidation, and incomplete coverage, which restrict the use of nanostructures in solution-based and biological applications.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a plug and shell using physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition techniques to completely encapsulate nanostructures, providing a stable and flexible protection layer that prevents corrosion and leakage, allowing for a wide range of materials and applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wet chemistry methods are used to form a protective shell around nanostructures, then the core material can be protected from corrosion and oxidation, but the method is limited to a few materials as many materials dissolve or degrade in the presence of the solutions used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces wet chemical methods with physical vapor deposition (PVD) to form protective shells. PVD is a physical process that deposits material from vapor phase onto the nanostructure surface without requiring liquid chemicals, thus avoiding dissolution or degradation of the core material. This substitution enables protection of a wide range of materials including metals, semiconductors, and magnetic materials that would be incompatible with wet chemistry approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs vacuum environment during PVD processing to create an inert atmosphere that prevents oxidation and corrosion of the core material during shell formation. The vacuum conditions ensure that the protective shell forms in a chemically inert environment, eliminating the need for the core material to be stable in liquid solutions as required by wet chemistry methods.
2Adaptability or versatility
If physical methods such as sputtering and PVD are used to grow a nanoshell on a target particle, then highly uniform surfaces can be achieved with full flexibility over material choice, but complete coverage of the nanostructure cannot be ensured so the core is not completely protected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the protective structure into two distinct components: a shell formed by PVD and a plug formed by depositing material through openings in the shell. This segmentation allows the shell to provide uniform coverage on accessible surfaces while the plug fills internal voids and ensures complete encapsulation. The combined shell-plug structure achieves both the uniformity of PVD and complete protection, resolving the contradiction between surface quality and comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional shell coverage to three-dimensional complete encapsulation by adding plugs that extend the protection into the internal volume of the nanostructure. The plugs are deposited through openings in the shell and then the openings are sealed, effectively filling the interior space. This dimensional extension ensures that the core material is completely protected from all directions, not just the outer surface.
3Reliability
If a silica shell is formed to surround a core material using wet chemistry, then the core material can be protected, but the core material may oxidise and corrode before it is properly protected by the shell
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary protective action by forming the protective shell using PVD before the core material is exposed to corrosive environments. The PVD process occurs in vacuum conditions that prevent oxidation during shell formation, and the resulting shell provides immediate protection. This eliminates the time delay inherent in wet chemistry methods where the core must wait for shell formation in a corrosive liquid environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses vacuum environment during PVD shell formation to create an inert atmosphere that prevents oxidation of the core material during the protection process. This inert environment allows the shell to form rapidly without exposing the core to corrosive conditions, solving the time loss problem where wet chemistry requires the core to withstand corrosive solutions during the extended shell formation process.
4Manufacturing precision
If wet chemical protection methods are used with carefully optimized parameters, then a shell of high quality and well-defined thickness can be achieved, but the reproducibility of such structures remains challenging at the nanoscale
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces wet chemical shell formation with physical vapor deposition, which offers superior control over shell thickness and composition. PVD allows precise control of deposition rate, temperature, and material flux, enabling consistent reproduction of nanoshell structures with well-defined thickness. The physical process eliminates variability introduced by chemical reactions, solvent effects, and surface chemistry differences that plague wet chemistry methods at the nanoscale.
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 method enables the fabrication of stable, fully encapsulated nanostructures that are resistant to corrosion and degradation, enabling their use in various applications such as imaging, drug delivery, and magnetic therapy, with improved reproducibility and material flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
forming a plug composed of plug material at said substrate; wherein the plug material is deposited using physical vapor deposition
Implementation Method 2
forming a shell composed of at least one shell material on external surfaces of the nanostructure; wherein the at least one shell material is deposited using chemical vapor deposition
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(e)
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for encapsulating a nanostructure, the method comprising the steps of: -providing a substrate; -forming a plug composed of plug material at said substrate; -forming a nanostructure (on or) at said plug; -forming a shell composed of at least one shell material on external surfaces of the nanostructure, with the at least one shell material covering said nanostructure and at least some of the plug material,whereby the shell and the plug encapsulate the nanostructure. The invention further relates to a coated nanostructure and to the use of a coated nanostructure.