# US 10,865,105 B2 · Fabrication of nanomotors and applications thereof for surface writing

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- Number: US 10,865,105 B2
- Document ID: US10865105B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/866,485
- Filed: 2018-01-10
- Published: 2018-05-10
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2017-02-11
- Applicants: Mahmoud Amouzadeh Tabrizi; Mojtaba Shamsipur; Reza Saber; Saeed Sarkar
- Inventors: Mahmoud Amouzadeh Tabrizi; Mojtaba Shamsipur; Reza Saber; Saeed Sarkar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865105B2

## CPC

- B82B 3/0014: {Array or network of similar nanostructural elements}
- B05D 5/005: {Repairing damaged coatings}
- B22F 1/0547: {Nanofibres or nanotubes}
- B22F 9/24: starting from liquid metal compounds, e.g. solutions
- B82B 3/0023: {comprising flexible or deformable elements}
- B05D 2203/30: Other inorganic substrates, e.g. ceramics, silicon
- B82B 1/002: {Devices comprising flexible or deformable elements}
- B82Y 15/00: Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- B82B: NANOSTRUCTURES FORMED BY MANIPULATION OF INDIVIDUAL ATOMS, MOLECULES, OR LIMITED COLLECTIONS OF ATOMS OR MOLECULES AS DISCRETE UNITS; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT THEREOF
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES

## Abstract

A method for surface writing is disclosed. The method includes fabricating a plurality of nanomotors, forming a secondary solution by adding the plurality of nanomotors to a primary solution placed on a substrate, guiding the plurality of nanomotors along a path in the secondary solution, and forming a sol-gel film along the path on a surface of the substrate. Wherein, the primary solution includes a monomer and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Fabricating the plurality of nanomotors includes preparing a mesoporous silica template, forming the plurality of nanomotors within the mesoporous silica template, and separating the plurality of nanomotors from the mesoporous silica template. The mesoporous silica template includes a plurality of channels, wherein each channel of the plurality of channels has a diameter less than about 50 nm and a length of less than about 100 nm, and each nanomotor of the plurality of nanomotors is formed within a channel of the plurality of channels.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for surface writing, the method comprising:
fabricating a plurality of nanomotors, comprising:
preparing a mesoporous silica template, the mesoporous silica template comprising a plurality of channels, each channel of the plurality of channels with a diameter less than 50 nm and a length of less than 100 nm;
forming the plurality of nanomotors within the mesoporous silica template, each nanomotor of the plurality of nanomotors formed within a channel of the plurality of channels; and
separating the plurality of nanomotors from the mesoporous silica template;
forming a secondary solution by adding the plurality of nanomotors to a primary solution placed on a substrate, the primary solution comprising a monomer and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2);
guiding the plurality of nanomotors along a path in the secondary solution; and
forming a sol-gel film along the path on a surface of the substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each nanomotor of the plurality of nanomotors comprises a nanorod with a diameter of less than 50 nm and a length of less than 100 nm, the nanorod comprising:
a first segment comprising a metal from one of Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd), or combinations thereof; and
a second segment comprising a magnetic material from one of Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), alloys of Ni, alloys of Co, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein each nanomotor of the plurality of nanomotors comprises a nanorod with a diameter of less than 10 nm and a length of less than 50 nm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the nanorod further comprises:
a third segment comprising Gold (Au),
wherein the second segment is placed between the first segment and the third segment.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein guiding the plurality of nanomotors along the path in the secondary solution comprises guiding the plurality of nanomotors along the path in the secondary solution utilizing a magnetic field.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein forming the sol-gel film along the path on the surface of the substrate comprises:
forming the sol-gel film within the secondary solution due to a polymerization process of the monomer; and
depositing the sol-gel film along the path on the surface of the substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein H2O2 is present in the primary solution with a concentration of between 1% wt and about 5% wt of the primary solution.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein preparing the mesoporous silica template comprises:
forming a mixture of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) monomer and a surfactant, the surfactant comprising cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB);
forming a hydrolyzed silica precursor within the mixture by aging the mixture while stirring at a pH value of 3; and
depositing a film of the mesoporous silica template on a graphite electrode, comprising:
immersing the graphite electrode in the mixture; and
applying a voltage between −2.5 V and −2 V to the mixture.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of nanomotors within the mesoporous silica template comprises:
depositing a sacrificial layer on the mesoporous silica template within each channel of the plurality of channels, the sacrificial layer comprising a sacrificial material;
depositing a first metal layer on the sacrificial layer, the first metal layer comprising one of Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd), or combinations thereof; and
depositing a second metal layer on the first metal layer, the second metal layer comprising one of Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), alloys of Ni, alloys of Co, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein depositing the sacrificial layer on the mesoporous silica template within each channel of the plurality of channels comprises:
immersing the mesoporous silica template in a solution of the sacrificial material;
forming a N2-saturated solution of the sacrificial material by N2 saturating of the solution of the sacrificial material; and
applying a voltage between 0.2 V and 0.4 V to the N2-saturated solution of the sacrificial material under stirring the N2-saturated solution,
wherein the sacrificial material comprises one of Prussian blue (PB) (Iron hexacyanoferrate), Nickel hexacyanoferrate (NiHCF), Cobalt hexacyanoferrate (CoHCF), Copper hexacyanoferrate, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein depositing the first metal layer on the sacrificial layer comprises:
immersing the mesoporous silica template with the sacrificial layer deposited within each channel of the plurality of channels in a first solution of a metal salt of one of Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd), or combinations thereof;
forming a N2-saturated first solution by N2 saturating of the first solution; and
applying a voltage between −0.5V and −0.4V to the N2-saturated first solution under stirring the N2-saturated first solution.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein depositing the second metal layer on the first metal layer comprises:
immersing the mesoporous silica template with the first metal layer deposited on the sacrificial layer in a second solution of a magnetic material, the magnetic material comprising one of Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), alloys of Ni, alloys of Co, or combinations thereof;
forming a N2-saturated second solution by N2 saturating of the second solution; and
applying a voltage between −1.2 V and −1 V to the N2-saturated second solution.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein forming the plurality of nanomotors within the mesoporous silica template further comprises:
depositing a third metal layer on the second metal layer, the third metal layer comprising Gold (Au).

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein depositing the third metal layer on the second metal layer comprises:
immersing the mesoporous silica template with the second metal layer deposited on the first metal layer in a third solution of Gold (Au);
forming a N2-saturated third solution by N2 saturating of the third solution; and
applying a voltage between −0.5 V and −0.4 V to the N2-saturated third solution.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein separating the plurality of nanomotors from the mesoporous silica template comprises immersing the mesoporous silica template containing the plurality of nanomotors in an alkaline solution.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein separating the plurality of nanomotors from the mesoporous silica template comprises immersing the mesoporous silica template containing the plurality of nanomotors in a solution of Hydrogen Fluoride (HF).

### Claim 17

A method for surface writing, the method comprising:
adding a plurality of nanomotors to a primary solution placed on a substrate, the primary solution comprising:
a monomer; and
hydrogen peroxide (H2O2);
guiding the plurality of nanomotors along a path in the primary solution; and
forming a sol-gel film along the path on a surface of the substrate due to a polymerization of the monomer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein each nanomotor of the plurality of nanomotors comprises a nanorod with a diameter of less than 10 nm and a length of less than 50 nm, the nanorod comprising:
a first segment comprising a metal, the metal comprising one of Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd), or combinations thereof; and
a second segment comprising a magnetic material, the magnetic material comprising one of Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), alloys of Ni, alloys of Co, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein each nanomotor of the plurality of nanomotors comprises a nanorod with a diameter of less than 10 nm and a length of less than 50 nm.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the nanorod further comprises:
a third segment, the third segment comprising Gold (Au),
wherein the second segment is placed between the first segment and the third segment.