# US 2014/0151912 A1 · Virus/Nanowire Encapsulation within Polymer Microgels for 2D and 3D Devices for Energy and Electronics

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- Number: US 2014/0151912 A1
- Document ID: US20140151912A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/175,397
- Filed: 2014-02-07
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2007-09-19
- Assignees: President and Fellows of Harvard College; Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Applicants: President and Fellows of Harvard College; Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Inventors: Yoon Sung Nam; Angela Belcher; Daeyeon Lee; Jin-Woong Kim; David Weitz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151912A1

## CPC

- B01J 13/0065: {containing an organic phase}
- B01J 13/14: Polymerisation; cross-linking
- B82B 3/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures by manipulation of individual atoms or molecules, or limited collections of atoms or molecules as discrete units
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- B01F 33/3011: using a sheathing stream of a fluid surrounding a central stream of a different fluid, e.g. for reducing the cross-section of the central stream or to produce droplets from the central stream
- Y10S 977/70: Nanostructure
- Y10S 977/762: Nanowire or quantum wire, i.e. axially elongated structure having two dimensions of 100 nm or less
- Y10S 977/882: Assembling of separate components, e.g. by attaching
- Y10S 977/902: Specified use of nanostructure
- Y10S 977/915: Therapeutic or pharmaceutical composition
- Y10S 977/962: for carrying or transporting
- Y10T 436/11: Automated chemical analysis
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B82B: NANOSTRUCTURES FORMED BY MANIPULATION OF INDIVIDUAL ATOMS, MOLECULES, OR LIMITED COLLECTIONS OF ATOMS OR MOLECULES AS DISCRETE UNITS; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT THEREOF
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for encapsulating inorganic micro- or nanostructures within polymeric microgels are described. In various embodiments, viruses are encapsulated with microgels during microgel formation. The viruses can provide a template for in situ synthesis of the inorganic structures within the microgel. The inorganic structures can be distributed substantially homogeneously throughout the microgel, or can be distributed non-uniformly within the microgel. The inventive microgel compositions can be used for a variety of applications including electronic devices, biotechnological devices, fuel cells, display devices and optical devices.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-22. (canceled)

### Claim 23

A method of comprising loading microstructures or nanostructures into a polymer network during the formation of pre-microgel droplets and substantially solidifying the droplets into microgels by exposure to radiation.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein the microstructures or nanostructures include viruses, peptides, or biomineralizing molecules that provide a template for nucleation and growth of inorganic structures.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 further comprising:
diffusing inorganic precursor salts into the microgels; and
incubating the microgels in a solution fostering nucleation and growth of inorganic structures.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein the radiation is optical radiation.

### Claim 27

A microfluidic apparatus comprising:
a supply capillary;
a collector capillary disposed within the supply capillary, the collector capillary having a tapered end with a small orifice which receives tow or more fluids from within the supply capillary; and
a source of radiation illuminating a region of the inner capillary and breaks into droplets within the inner capillary; and
the droplets move downstream and pass through the region illuminated by the source of radiation.