# US 2018/0022604 A1 · Functional Platform for Rapid Capture and Removal of Nanoparticles

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- Number: US 2018/0022604 A1
- Document ID: US20180022604A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/657,905
- Filed: 2017-07-24
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22
- Assignees: Clarkson University
- Inventors: Emanuela Silvana Andreescu; Ali Othman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022604A1

## CPC

- B22F 1/0547: {Nanofibres or nanotubes}
- B01J 21/04: Alumina
- B01J 21/063: {Titanium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof}
- B01J 21/066: {Zirconium or hafnium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof}
- B01J 21/08: Silica
- B01J 23/06: of zinc, cadmium or mercury
- B01J 23/10: of rare earths
- B01J 23/18: Arsenic, antimony or bismuth
- B01J 23/72: Copper
- B01J 23/745: Iron
- B01J 35/45: Nanoparticles
- B01J 35/70: characterised by their crystalline properties, e.g. semi-crystalline (catalysts comprising carbon B01J21/18; molecular sieves B01J29/00)
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- B01J 2235/00: Indexing scheme associated with group B01J35/00, related to the analysis techniques used to determine the catalysts form or properties
- B01J 2235/10: Infrared [IR]
- B01J 2235/15: X-ray diffraction
- B01J 2235/30: Scanning electron microscopy; Transmission electron microscopy
- B82Y 99/00: Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- C02F 2101/20: Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds
- C02F 2103/007: {Contaminated open waterways, rivers, lakes or ponds}
- C02F 2103/06: Contaminated groundwater or leachate
- C02F 2103/16: from metallurgical processes, i.e. from the production, refining or treatment of metals, e.g. galvanic wastes
- C02F 2103/346: {from semiconductor processing, e.g. waste water from polishing of wafers}
- C02F 2209/105: Particle number, particle size or particle characterisation
- C02F 2305/08: Nanoparticles or nanotubes
- 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
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)

## Abstract

Device, method, and system for nanoparticle capture, tracking, and/or detection. A functional paper-based platform is modified with capture ligands to create binding sites for nanoparticles. According to an embodiment, nanoparticle binding produces visual images of the particle content and distribution on the modified sensing surface, which provides capabilities for both NP sequestration and real-time detection. According to an embodiment the system may be utilized for environmental decontamination, fabrication of personal protective equipment, field monitoring, and epidemiological studies. The availability of inexpensive and easy-to-use quantitative methods can facilitate rapid assessment and measurement of NPs concentration and the level of exposure for large scale toxicological and epidemiological testing

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sensor for detecting a presence of nanoparticles, the sensor comprising:
a platform; and
a plurality of ligand molecules attached to the platform, wherein the ligand is selected such that binding of a nanoparticle to a ligand molecule oxidizes the ligand and produces a color change;
wherein the color change indicates a presence of nanoparticles.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the platform is a paper-based platform.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The sensor of claim 2, wherein the paper-based platform is cellulose.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the platform comprises one or more of silk, cotton, wool, linen, nylon, rayon, and polyester.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ligand molecules comprises a catechol molecule.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ligand molecules is selected from the group consisting of caffeic acid, dopamine, and 3,4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of ligand molecules comprises a hydroxyl functionality, and further wherein the platform is OH-rich, and the plurality of ligand molecules are attached to the platform via interaction between the hydroxyl functionality of the ligand molecules and the OH of the platform.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ligand molecules are attached to the platform by hydrogen bonding and/or charge interactions.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles comprise a metal oxide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The sensor of claim 9, wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of CeO2, SiO2, Fe2O3, Sb203, ZnO, ZrO2, and TiO2.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor is further configured such that the amount of color change quantifies a concentration of detected nanoparticles.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect nanoparticles in the environment.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, further comprising a second plurality of ligand molecules attached to the platform, wherein the second plurality is different than the plurality of ligand molecules, and further wherein each plurality of ligand molecules is configured to selectively bind a type of nanoparticle.

### Claim 14

A sensor for detecting a presence of nanoparticles, the sensor comprising:
a wearable item comprising a plurality of threads; and
a plurality of ligand molecules attached to at least some of the plurality of threads, wherein the ligand is selected such that binding of a nanoparticle to a ligand molecule oxidizes the ligand and produces a color change;
wherein a color change indicates a presence of nanoparticles.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The sensor of claim 14, wherein the plurality of ligand molecules comprises a catechol molecule.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The sensor of claim 14, wherein the plurality of ligand molecules is selected from the group consisting of caffeic acid, ascorbic acid, dopamine, gallic acid, and 3,4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The sensor of claim 14, wherein the nanoparticles comprise a metal oxide.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The sensor of claim 17, wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of CeO2, SiO2, Fe2O3, Sb203, ZnO, ZrO2, and TiO2.

### Claim 19

A system for selectively filtering nanoparticles, the system comprising:
a wearable item comprising a plurality of threads; and
a plurality of ligand molecules attached to at least some of the plurality of threads, wherein the ligand is selected such that binding of a nanoparticle to a ligand molecule oxidizes the ligand and produces a color change;
wherein a color change indicates a presence of nanoparticles.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of threads comprise one or more of silk, cotton, wool, linen, nylon, rayon, and polyester.

### Claim 21

A system for capturing and removing nanoparticles from a surface, the system comprising a fabric platform modified with: (i) a ligand having o-dihydroxy functionalities; (ii) ascorbic acid; and/or (iii) catechol;
wherein the fabric platform is configured such that wiping the surface with the platform binds nanoparticles on the surface to the modified fabric via the ascorbic acid or catechol.

### Claim 22

A disposable respiratory protective mask configured to minimize a worker's exposure to environmental nanoparticles, the mask comprising a platform modified with: (i) a ligand having o-dihydroxy functionalities; (ii) ascorbic acid; and/or (iii) catechol;
wherein the platform is configured such that exposure to environmental nanoparticles causes the nanoparticles to bind to the modified platform via the ascorbic acid or catechol.