Method to Fabricate Functionalized Conical Nanopores
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsLeo J. Small, Erik David Spoerke, David R. Wheeler
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Abstract
A pressure-based chemical etch method is used to shape polymer nanopores into cones. By varying the pressure, the pore tip diameter can be controlled, while the pore base diameter is largely unaffected. The method provides an easy, low-cost approach for conically etching high density nanopores.
Claims20
A method to fabricate a nanoporous membrane, comprising:
- providing a membrane having a plurality of nanopores;
- placing the membrane between a first solution and a second solution, wherein the membrane material has a different etch rate for the first and second solutions;
- and
- applying a differential pressure across the membrane, thereby regulating the flow of the first or second solution through the nanopores and thereby producing asymmetric etching in each of the nanopores.
An ion-selective nanoporous membrane, comprising a membrane having a plurality of nanopores wherein the walls of the etched nanopores are functionalized with aryldiazonium molecules and wherein the aryldiazonium molecules can be electrochemically switched between stable chemical states to tune ion transport through the nanoporous membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.