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US 12,296,303 B2Granted
Filter membrane and method for making the same
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsEn-Tian Lin, Chwen Yu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for making a filter membrane includes: forming a polymer layer; applying a plurality of nanoparticles on the polymer layer, the nanoparticles being self-assembled to form a closed pack arrangement on the polymer layer; heating the nanoparticles such that a portion of the polymer layer contacting the nanoparticles is softened so that the nanoparticles are sunk into the polymer layer; and removing the nanoparticles from the polymer layer so that the polymer layer is formed with a plurality of pores penetrating the polymer layer and being arranged in a honeycomb pattern.
Claims20
A method for making a filter membrane, comprising:
- forming a polymer layer;
- after forming the polymer layer, applying a plurality of nanoparticles above a top surface of the polymer layer, the plurality of nanoparticles being self-assembled to form a closed pack arrangement above the polymer layer;
- heating the plurality of nanoparticles such that a portion of the polymer layer contacting the plurality of nanoparticles is softened so that the plurality of nanoparticles are sunk from the top surface of the polymer layer into the polymer layer;
- and
- removing the plurality of nanoparticles from the polymer layer so that the polymer layer is formed with a plurality of pores penetrating the polymer layer, the plurality of pores being arranged in a honeycomb pattern,
- wherein the plurality of nanoparticles are removed from the polymer layer by stretching the polymer layer such that the plurality of nanoparticles are released from the polymer layer.
3 more elements
A method for making a filter membrane, comprising:
- forming a polymer layer on a holder, the polymer layer having a top surface opposite to the holder;
- after forming the polymer layer, forming a plurality of nanoparticles, which are self-assembled in a closed pack arrangement, above the top surface of the polymer layer, the plurality of nanoparticles being spaced apart from the holder;
- heating the plurality of nanoparticles such that a portion of the polymer layer contacting the plurality of nanoparticles is softened so that the plurality of nanoparticles are sunk from the top surface of the polymer layer, the plurality of nanoparticles extend into the polymer layer, and the plurality of nanoparticles are in contact with the holder;
- removing the polymer layer from the holder;
- and
- removing the plurality of nanoparticles from the polymer layer so that the polymer layer is formed with a plurality of pores which correspond in shape with a portion of the plurality of nanoparticles in the polymer layer,
- wherein each of the plurality of pores has a maximum diameter, and a difference between the maximum diameter of a largest one of the plurality of pores and the maximum diameter of a smallest one of the plurality of pores is not greater than about 15%.
4 more elements
A method for making a filter membrane, comprising:
- forming a polymer layer on a holder, the polymer layer having a top surface opposite to the holder;
- after forming the polymer layer, forming a plurality of nanoparticles, which are self-assembled in a closed pack arrangement, above the top surface of the polymer layer, the plurality of nanoparticles being spaced apart from the holder;
- performing a treatment in a way that the plurality of nanoparticles are sunk from the top surface of the polymer layer, the plurality of nanoparticles extend into the polymer layer, and the plurality of nanoparticles are in contact with the holder;
- removing the polymer layer from the holder;
- and
- removing the plurality of nanoparticles from the polymer layer so that the polymer layer is formed with a plurality of pores which correspond in shape with a portion of the plurality of nanoparticles in the polymer layer,
- wherein the polymer layer is formed by:
- applying a polymer solution on the holder, the polymer solution including a polymer and a solvent,
- performing a heating process to heat the polymer solution on the holder at a first temperature to evaporate the solvent, and
- after the heating process, annealing the polymer solution at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature and lower than a melting point of the polymer, to thereby obtain the polymer layer.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.