Method to fabricate functionalized conical nanopores

DWPI Title: Method for fabricating ion-selective nanoporous membrane, involves applying differential pressure across membrane, such that regulating flow of solutions through nanopores and producing asymmetric etching in each of nanopores
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.
Use: Method for fabricating ion-selective nanoporous membrane (claimed).
Advantage: The surface charge is stabilized, thus eliminating the need for a continuously applied gate voltage to retain rectification and selectivity. The nanopores reversibly or irreversibly electrochemically switches the pore surface between multiple chemically stable states, thus eliminating the need for a continuously applied gate voltage to retain nanopore selectivity.
Novelty: The method involves providing a membrane (11) having several nanopores. The membrane is placed between a first solution and a second solution and membrane material has a different etch rate for the first and second solutions. The differential pressure across the membrane is applied, such that regulating the flow of the first or second solution through the nanopores and producing asymmetric etching in each of the nanopores.
Filed: 11/17/2014
Application Number: US14543298A
Tech ID: SD 12744.1
This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
Data from Derwent World Patents Index, provided by Clarivate
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