Spirulina Phytoplankton Helical Structure for Electromagnetic Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing helical conductive structures as electric-wave shields or absorbers face challenges such as instability in vapor deposition methods and low raw material efficiency, particularly in removing unnecessary portions from vascular plants.
Innovation Solution
A helical fine structure using phytoplankton, specifically cyanobacteria like Spirulina, with a surface modification layer including a metal plating layer, which allows for efficient mass production and retention of the helical shape, enabling the structure to function as an electric-wave shield or absorber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vapor deposition method is used to form a helical carbon deposit, then an electric-wave shield or absorber can be produced, but the shape control becomes extremely difficult and production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention copies the natural helical structure of Spirulina phytoplankton to create the desired helical shape. Instead of attempting to form the complex helical structure through vapor deposition, the patent uses pre-formed natural helical templates that inherently possess the required geometry, thereby achieving both shape control and production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The Spirulina phytoplankton serves as an intermediary template that facilitates the formation of the helical structure. The natural helical shape of the phytoplankon acts as a mold or scaffold, allowing the carbon deposit to inherit the desired helical geometry without requiring complex deposition control
2Reliability
If a piece of vessel secondary wall with helical shape is taken out from a vascular plant, then a conductive film can be formed for electric-wave shielding, but raw material efficiency becomes low due to large amount of unnecessary portion removal
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential functional element - the helical structure - by using Spirulina phytoplankton that naturally exists in helical form. This eliminates the need to extract and discard large amounts of unnecessary plant material, as the entire Spirulina cell body constitutes the functional helical structure
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the source material parameter from vascular plant tissue (requiring extensive cutting and removal) to Spirulina phytoplankton (naturally helical, requiring minimal processing). This parameter change in the raw material source fundamentally improves raw material efficiency while maintaining the helical structure functionality
3Shape
If unnecessary portions are removed from vascular plant material, then helical structure can be obtained, but processing time increases due to large amount of chemicals and long processing required
Solution Approach 1:
The Spirulina phytoplankon provides the helical structure self-formed through natural growth processes. The structure requires no manual cutting, shaping, or chemical treatment to achieve the helical form, as it emerges naturally during the organism's growth, thereby eliminating time-consuming processing steps
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 method enables efficient mass production of helical structures with improved raw material efficiency and retention of the helical shape, effectively utilizing them as electric-wave shields or absorbers with extended resonant frequency ranges.
Implementation Method 1
the surface modification layer includes at least one metal plating layer
Implementation Method 2
the step of removing the outer membrane from the surface of the phytoplankton is a washing step with an organic solvent
Implementation Method 3
a shape recovering step of permeating the dried phytoplankton with a polar solvent to cause the phytoplankton to recover the same helical shape as before the drying step
Data Source
AI summary
A helical fine structure of the present invention is characterized by including: a phytoplankton having a helical shape and selected from a group of cyanobacteria called Spirulina; and a surface modification layer formed on the phytoplankton. The surface modification layer includes at least one metal plating layer. Thereby, the helical fine structure can be utilized as an electric-wave shield or an absorber. Moreover, a method for producing the helical fine structure is characterized in that a prestep of a step of forming the surface modification layer on the phytoplankton having a helical shape includes a washing step with an organic solvent to remove an outer membrane from a surface of the phytoplankton.