Nanostructures fabricated by metal assisted chemical etching for antibacterial applications
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsStacey M. Gifford, Huan Hu, Pablo M. Rojas, Gustavo A. Stolovitzky
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Abstract
The method comprises contacting a silicon substrate with a silver salt and an acid for a time effective to produce spikes having a first end disposed on the silicon substrate and a second end extending away from the silicon substrate. The spikes have a second end diameter of about 10 nm to about 200 nm, a height of about 100 nm to 10 micrometers, and a density of about 10 to 100 per square microns. The nanostructures provide antimicrobial properties and can be transferred to the surface of various materials such as polymers.
Claims11
A method of forming antimicrobial nanostructures on a surface of a consumer electronic device, the method comprising:
- forming a master template comprising a silicon substrate having spike nanostructures by contacting a silicon substrate with a silver salt and an acid comprising hydrofluoric acid at a temperature of about 20° C. to about 30° C. for a time greater than 3 minutes to less than 10 minutes to produce spikes having a first end disposed on the silicon substrate and a second end extending away from the silicon substrate, wherein the silicon substrate comprises a monocrystalline silicon;
- the spikes having a second end diameter of about 10 nm to about 200 nm, a height of about 100 nm to about 1 micrometer, and a density of about 10 to 100 per square microns, wherein the concentration of the silver salt is about 5 mM to 9 mM and the concentration of the acid is about 1 M to about 15 M;
- contacting a liquid material with the master template, wherein the liquid material comprises a thermoplastic polymer;
- curing the liquid material to form a patterned template, wherein the curing comprises radiation curing;
- contacting the patterned template with a polymeric material to form a polymer film having antimicrobial nanostructures on a surface of the polymer film;
- and
- applying the polymer film as a coating to the surface of the consumer electronic device;
- wherein the antimicrobial structures on the surface of the polymer film comprise a plurality of spikes that are the same as the spikes on the silicon substrate;
- and
- wherein the antimicrobial structures on the surface of the polymer film eliminate microorganisms or inhibit the growth of microorganisms.
A method of forming antimicrobial nanostructures, the method comprising:
- forming a master template comprising a silicon substrate having spike nanostructures by contacting a silicon substrate with a silver salt and an acid comprising hydrofluoric acid at a temperature of about 20° C. to about 30° C. for a time greater than 3 minutes to less than 10 minutes to produce spikes having a first end disposed on the silicon substrate and a second end extending away from the silicon substrate, wherein the silicon substrate comprises a monocrystalline silicon;
- the spikes having a second end diameter of about 10 nm to about 200 nm, a height of about 100 nm to about 1 micrometer, and a density of about 10 to 100 per square microns, wherein the concentration of the silver salt is about 5 mM to 9 mM and the concentration of the acid is about 1 M to about 15 M;
- contacting a liquid material with the master template, wherein the liquid material comprises a thermoplastic polymer;
- curing the liquid material to form a patterned template, wherein the curing comprises radiation curing;
- contacting the patterned template with a polymeric material to form a polymer film having antimicrobial nanostructures on a surface of the polymer film;
- and
- applying the polymer film as a coating to the surface of a seat, door knob, handle, shelve, toilet seat, tray, or arm rest;
- wherein the antimicrobial structures on the surface of the polymer film comprise a plurality of spikes that are the same as the spikes on the silicon substrate;
- and
- wherein the antimicrobial structures on the surface of the polymer film eliminate microorganisms or inhibit the growth of microorganisms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.