Hierarchical silica lamella for magnetic nucleic acid extractions

A method of fabricating a magnetic silica nanomembrane, the method comprising:

• coating at least a first surface of a thermoplastic polymer substrate with at least a first non-porous silica layer or with at least a first magnetic component, wherein when the first surface of the thermoplastic polymer substrate is coated with the first non-porous silica layer, the method further comprises coating the first non-porous silica layer and/or a second surface of the thermoplastic polymer substrate with at least a first magnetic component to produce a coated thermoplastic polymer substrate, and wherein when the first surface of the thermoplastic polymer substrate is coated with the first magnetic component, the method further comprises coating the first magnetic component and/or a second surface of the thermoplastic polymer substrate with at least a first non-porous silica layer to produce a coated thermoplastic polymer substrate;
• and,
• heating the coated thermoplastic polymer substrate at a temperature and a duration to reduce a size of the coated thermoplastic polymer substrate sufficient for at least the first non-porous silica layer to form at least one surface morphology chosen from a plurality of (a) microscale silica structures and (b) nanoscale silica structures.