Method of making film
AssigneeNanoFilm Corporation
InventorsBrij D. Singh, Scott E. Rickert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultra-thin, self-assembling molecular film has ordered amphiphilic molecules that are oriented relative to one another in two directions. The improved method of the present application makes it possible to form the film in a continuous fashion with the ordered molecules arranged in oriented crystals.
Claims45
A method of forming a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane comprising the steps of providing a solution containing amphiphilic molecules capable of forming a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane, providing an aqueous liquid with an aqueous liquid surface having a substantially constant predetermined width, delivering said solution to said aqueous liquid surface in a substantially continuous thin curtain extending substantially completely across the entirety of said predetermined width, confining said curtain of solution to said predetermined width and against movement in all but one direction along said surface as said thin curtain of solution is delivered to said surface, said one direction being substantially perpendicular to said predetermined width, and continuing to confine said solution to said predetermined width and against movement in all but said one direction while allowing said solution to solidify on said surface into a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane having the molecules therein ordered and arranged in aligned units that are oriented relative to one another in two directions generally parallel to each other.
A method of forming a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane comprising the steps of providing a solution containing a polar solvent that is soluble in water and containing amphiphilic molecules capable of forming a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane, delivering said solution in a substantially continuous thin curtain substantially completely across a predetermined width of a surface of an aqueous liquid that is heavier in weight than said solution, confining said thin curtain of solution to said predetermined width and against movement in all but one direction along said surface as said thin curtain of solution is delivered to said surface, said one direction being substantially perpendicular to said predetermined width of said curtain of solution, continuing to confine said solution to said predetermined width and against movement in all but said one direction while allowing said solvent in said solution to dissolve in said aqueous liquid while said amphiphilic molecules continuously and progressively solidify on said surface in said one direction into a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane having the molecules therein ordered and arranged in aligned units that are oriented relative to one another in two directions generally parallel to said surface.
A method of forming a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane comprising the steps of providing a solution containing amphiphilic molecules capable of forming a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane, providing an aqueous liquid having an aqueous liquid surface with a predetermined surface width between opposite side boundaries, delivering said solution to said surface of said aqueous liquid in a substantially continuous thin curtain extending substantially completely across said predetermined surface width between said opposite side boundaries so that said solution is laterally confined between said boundaries and cannot expand laterally along said surface perpendicular to the direction of delivery thereof to said surface, allowing said solution to travel in one direction along said surface generally perpendicular to said predetermined surface width, allowing said solution to move along said surface in said one direction while continuing to prevent lateral expansion of said solution by confining same across said predetermined surface width between said opposite side boundaries, allowing said solution to solidify on said surface into a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane having the molecules therein ordered and arranged in aligned units that are oriented relative to one another in two directions generally parallel to said surface.
A method of forming a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane comprising the steps of providing a rotatable forming roller having a substantially cylindrical outer surface, said roller having opposite ends and said outer surface having a predetermined width between said opposite ends, providing a solution containing amphiphilic molecules capable of forming a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane, continuously rotating said forming roller, applying an aqueous liquid to said outer surface of said forming roller at a first peripheral location to coat the entire said outer surface of said forming roller with an aqueous liquid layer, delivering said solution to said aqueous liquid layer on said outer surface of said forming roller in a substantially continuous thin curtain extending substantially completely across the entirety of said predetermined width of said outer surface of said forming roller at a second peripheral location spaced from said first peripheral location in the direction of rotation of said forming roller, allowing said amphiphilic molecules in said solution to solidify on the surface of said aqueous liquid layer on said outer surface of said forming roller into a self-assembling molecular fluid membrane having the molecules therein ordered and arranged in aligned units relative to one another in two directions generally parallel to the plane of the fluid membrane, and removing said fluid membrane from said forming roller at a third peripheral location spaced from said second peripheral location in the direction of rotation of said forming roller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.