Structured membrane with controllable permeability
View Patent ↗An apparatus that comprises a membrane having a plurality of fluid-support-structures and openings located between the fluid-support-structures. The fluid-support-structures have at least one dimension that that is about 1 millimeter or less. The apparatus also comprises a wicking material positioned adjacent to a surface of the membrane. When a fluid locatable on a surface of the fluid-support-structures penetrates the fluid-support-structures, at least a portion of the fluid passes through the openings and into the wicking material.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a membrane having a plurality of fluid-support-structures and openings located between said fluid-support-structures; and
a wicking material positioned adjacent to said openings at a surface of said membrane,
wherein said fluid-support-structures have at least one dimension that is about 1 millimeter or less, and when a fluid locatable on a second surface of said membrane penetrates said fluid-support-structures, at least a portion of said fluid passes through said openings and into said wicking material.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said wicking material comprises a hydrophilic permeable media.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said wicking material has a thickness of about 1 micron to 1000 microns.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said wicking material has gaps with an average lateral separation that is at least 5 times less than a size of said openings.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said wicking material comprises fibers having a bend radius that is at least about 5 times greater than a size of the openings.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said wicking material comprises fibers having an average diameter ranging from about 100 to 700 nanometers.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a second wicking material positioned adjacent to a second surface of said membrane that is opposite said surface.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said membrane is a multilayered membrane, each of a plurality of membrane layers comprising said fluid-support-structures and said openings, and wherein at least one of a plurality of layers of said wicking material are positioned adjacent one of said membrane layers.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said penetration of said fluid is actuated by applying a voltage between said fluid and said fluid-support-structures.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical source that is electrically coupled to said fluid-support-structures, said electrical source configured to apply a voltage between electrically connected said fluid-support-structures and said fluid, to thereby cause said fluid to have a contact angle of less than 90 degrees.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of said fluid-support-structures comprises a post and said one dimension is a lateral thickness of said post.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of said fluid-support-structures configured as a cells and said at least one dimension is a lateral thickness of a wall of said cell.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said apparatus is configured as a battery.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said membrane and wicking material separate an electrolyte fluid from an electrode of said battery.
15. A method of use, comprising:
moving a fluid through an apparatus including:
placing said fluid on a surface of a membrane of said apparatus, said membrane having a plurality of fluid-support-structures and openings located between said fluid-support-structures, wherein said fluid-support-structures have at least one dimension that that is about 1 millimeter or less;
actuating said membrane to cause said fluid to move through said fluid-support-structures to said openings; and
drawing said fluid into a wicking material of said apparatus, said wicking material being positioned adjacent to said openings at a surface of said membrane.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said actuating comprises applying a non-zero voltage between said fluid and said fluid-support-structures.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said actuating comprises applying a mechanical force said membrane.
18. A method of manufacturing an apparatus, comprising:
forming a membrane including:
forming fluid-support-structures on or in a substrate, wherein said fluid-support-structures have at least one dimension that is about 1 millimeter or less; and
forming openings in said substrate; and
positioning a wicking material adjacent said openings.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming said fluid-support-structures comprises patterning a top silicon layer of a SOI substrate.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming said fluid-support-structures comprises electrodepositing a metal into groves of a template for said membrane.