Membrane template synthesis of microtube engines
Methods, structures, devices and systems are disclosed for fabrication of microtube engines using membrane template electrodeposition. Such nanomotors operate based on bubble-induced propulsion in biological fluids and salt-rich environments. In one aspect, fabricating microengines includes depositing a polymer layer on a membrane template, depositing a conductive metal layer on the polymer layer, and dissolving the membrane template to release the multilayer microtubes.
1. A method of fabricating one or more microtubes, comprising:
depositing a first layer on a template that has one or more holes of a desired hole geometry to form a tube of the first layer in each hole;
depositing a second layer over the first layer inside each hole of the template to form a bilayer microtube formed of the first and second layers inside each hole; and
separating the template from each bilayer microtube;
wherein the first layer comprises a polymer material;
wherein the polymer material comprises one of polypyrrole (PPy) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT).
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises a material that is reactive with a fuel or is a catalyst of a fuel.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the material that is reactive with a fuel or is a catalyst of a fuel comprises a conductive metal.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the material that is a catalyst of a fuel comprises platinum.
5. A method of fabricating one or more microtubes, comprising:
depositing a first layer on a template that has one or more holes of a desired hole geometry to form a tube of the first layer in each hole;
depositing a second layer over the first layer inside each hole of the template to form a bilayer microtube formed of the first and second layers inside each hole; and
separating the template from each bilayer microtube;
wherein the template comprises cyclopore polycarbonated membrane.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the cyclopore polycarbonated membrane comprises an asymmetrical, conically-shaped pore structure.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the asymmetrical conically-shaped pore structure comprises different cone angles.
8. A method of fabricating one or more microtubes, comprising:
depositing a first layer on a template that has one or more holes of a desired hole geometry to form a tube of the first layer in each hole;
depositing a second layer over the first layer inside each hole of the template to form a bilayer microtube formed of the first and second layers inside each hole; and
separating the template from each bilayer microtube;
wherein the microtube comprises a self-propulsion.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein several hundreds of microtube body lengths per second speed is achieved.
10. The method of claim 1 , the microtube comprises a fuel based microtube.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fuel based microtube uses a 0.2%-30% concentration hydrogen peroxide fuel.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the microtube is fabricated to different diameters and lengths.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the separating is performed by dissolving the template.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the intermediate second layer comprises a ferromagnetic material.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the ferromagnetic material comprises nickel, iron or cobalt.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the third layer comprises a material that is reactive with a fuel or a catalyst of a fuel.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the material that is reactive with a fuel or a catalyst of a fuel comprises a conductive material.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the material that is reactive with a fuel or a catalyst of a fuel a fuel comprises platinum.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the dissolving is performed using methylene chloride.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the depositing the second layer includes depositing the second layer by using a galvanostatic deposition.
21. A method of fabricating one or more microtubes, comprising:
depositing a first layer on a template that has one or more holes to form a tube of the first layer in each hole;
depositing an intermediate second layer over the first layer inside each hole;
depositing a third layer over the intermediate second layer inside each hold to form a trilayer microtube formed of the first, intermediate second, and third layers inside each hole; and
separating the template from each trilayer microtube;
wherein the polymer material comprises one of polypyrrole (PPy) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT).
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the separating is performed by dissolving the template.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the dissolving is performed using methylene chloride.
24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the depositing the second layer includes depositing the second layer by using a galvanostatic deposition.