Systems and methods for active biofouling control
AssigneeDuke University
InventorsGabriel P. Lopez, Vrad W. Levering, Xuanhe Zhao, Phanindhar Shivapooja, Qiming Wang
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are devices and methods for active biofouling control. According to an aspect, a device comprising a surface for contacting a biological material. The device also comprises a mechanism comprising a structure configured to change the surface between a first shape and a second shape. The change from the first shape to the second shape deforms the surface beyond a critical strain for debonding of a fouling agent from the surface when the fouling agent has bonded to the surface in the first shape.
Claims16
A device comprising:
- a surface for contacting a biological material;
- and
- a mechanism comprising a structure configured to change the surface between a first shape and a second shape, wherein the change from the first shape to the second shape deforms the surface beyond a critical strain for debonding of a fouling agent from the surface when the fouling agent has bonded to the surface in the first shape,
- wherein the surface defines a lumen, and
- wherein the structure defines at least one cavity that substantially surrounds the lumen and configured to be inflated and deflated such that the cavity impinges on the lumen when inflated to change the surface from the first shape to the second shape and when deflated to change the surface back to the first shape.
A device comprising:
- a surface for contacting a biological material;
- and
- a mechanism comprising a structure configured to change the surface between a first shape and a second shape, wherein the change from the first shape to the second shape deforms the surface beyond a critical strain for debonding of a fouling agent from the surface when the fouling agent has bonded to the surface in the first shape,
- wherein the surface is defined by a material, and
- wherein the structure is configured to apply pneumatic pressure to the material for causing the surface to change between the first shape and the second shape.
A device comprising:
- a surface for contacting a biological material;
- and
- a mechanism comprising a structure configured to change the surface between a first shape and a second shape, wherein the change from the first shape to the second shape deforms the surface beyond a critical strain for debonding of a fouling agent from the surface when the fouling agent has bonded to the surface in the first shape,
- wherein the surface defines a lumen,
- wherein the structure defines at least one cavity that substantially surrounds the lumen and impinges on the lumen in the first shape and configured to be deflated and inflated such that the cavity ceases to impinge on the lumen when deflated to change the surface from the first shape to the second shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.