SURFACES HAVING PARTICLES AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20100230344A1
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TPK Holding Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Innova Materials, LLC
• Inventors: Srinivas, Arjun Daniel, Mittal, Alexander Chow, Agarwal, Priyanka, Peng, Calvin
• Granted Patent: US 8,852,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/285
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 2300/00 Combinations or mixtures of active ingredients covered by classes A01N27/00 - A01N65/48 with other active or formulation relevant ingredients, e.g. specific carrier materials or surfactants, covered by classes A01N25/00 - A01N65/48
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/08 containing solids as carriers or diluents
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/10 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/34 Shaped forms, e.g. sheets, not provided for in any other sub-group of this main group
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/16 Heavy metals; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 2401/32 applied as powders
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 2601/28 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/002 Pretreatement
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/10 by other chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/02 to macromolecular substances, e.g. rubber treatment or coating of shaped articles made of macromolecular substances C08J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2059/023 Microembossing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2059/028 Incorporating particles by impact in the surface, e.g. using fluid jets or explosive forces to implant particles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/022 characterised by the disposition or the configuration, e.g. dimensions, of the embossments or the shaping tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/02 with solvents, e.g. swelling agents
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/0427 with only one layer of a composition containing a polymer binder with more layers C08J7/042
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/044 Forming conductive coatings; Forming coatings having anti-static properties
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/046 Forming abrasion-resistant coatings; Forming surface-hardening coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48 Biological material, e.g. blood, urine G01N33/02, G01N33/26, G01N33/44, G01N33/46 take precedence; Haemocytometers counting blood corpuscules distributed over a surface by scanning the surface G06M11/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/22 the conductive material comprising metals or alloys

Abstract

Provided are surfaces comprising particles, which particles may possess, for example, antimicrobial or biosensing properties. Also provided are related methods for fabrication of the inventive articles. Also provided are systems and methods for treating fluids, objects, and targets with the inventive surfaces.

Claims

1. A method of embedding particles in a substrate, comprising:

applying to at least a portion of a substrate a fluid comprising a population of particles having at least one characteristic dimension in the range of from about 0.1 nm to about 1 cm, such that the substrate is softened to at least a degree that a plurality of particles is at least partially embedded in the softened portion of the substrate; and

hardening at least a portion of the substrate so as to give rise to at least one particle being securably embedded in the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid is capable of softening the substrate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises a solvent.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid further comprises a salt, a surfactant, a stabilizer, or any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a stabilizer comprises at least one agent capable of at least partially inhibiting inter-particle agglomeration.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein applying further comprises application of a gradient.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more particles comprises a functional agent.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the population of particles comprises two or more particles of different sizes, of different compositions, or both.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a polymer, a wood, or any combination thereof.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of particles securably embedded within the substrate is distributed essentially uniformly across the substrate.

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34. A composite material, comprising:

a substrate having at least one surface in which a population of particles is at least partially embedded,

the population of particles having an average characteristic dimension in the range of from about 0.1 nm to about 1 cm.

35. The composite material of claim 34, wherein the substrate comprises a polymer, a wood, or any combination thereof.

37. The composite material of claim 35, wherein the polymer comprises a thermoplastic, a thermoset, an elastomer, an ionomer, a liquid crystal, or any combination thereof.

46. The composite material of claim 34, wherein one or more particles comprises a functional agent.

47. The composite material of claim 46, wherein a functional agent comprises an antimicrobial agent, a biocidal agent, an insulator, a conductor, a semiconductor, a catalyst, a fluorescent agent, a flavor agent, a catalyst, a ligand, a receptor, an antibody, an antigen, a label, a lubricant, an absorption agent, an adsorption agent, a light absorbing agent, or any combination thereof.

48. The composite material of claim 34, wherein the population of particles comprises two or more particles of different sizes, of different compositions, or both.

50. The composite material of claim 34, wherein one or more particles is characterized as being spherical, cylindrical, tubular, cubic, spheroid, or any combination thereof, in shape.

52. The composite material of claim 34, wherein the particle is characterized as having fragrance, flavor, ability to bind to biomolecules, color, reflectance, reactivity, catalytic activity, conductive properties, adsorptive properties, insulating properties, semiconducting properties, radioactive properties, antistatic properties, lubricating properties, hydrophobic or hydrophilic properties, absorbtive properties, light absorbing properties, the ability to release one or more agents into the particle'"'"'s environment, or any combination thereof.

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68. A composition for functionalizing a substrate, comprising:

a population of particles disposed in a fluid,

the composition being capable of softening a substrate at least to the degree that one or more particles is capable of being embedded at least partially within the softened substrate.

80. The composition of claim 68, wherein the fluid comprises a salt, a surfactant, a stabilizer, or any combination thereof.

84. The composition of claim 68, wherein the fluid is capable of softening a polymeric substrate at least to the degree that one or more particles embeds at least partially within the softened polymeric substrate when the one or more particles are propelled against the softened polymeric substrate.

85. The composition of claim 68, wherein one or more particles comprises a metal, an oxide, a functional agent, or any combination thereof.

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87. A system for treating a fluid, comprising

a structure having at least one surface in which a population of functional particles is at least partially embedded,

the population of particles having an average characteristic dimension in the range of from about 0.1 nm to about 1 cm;

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a supply of fluid.

94. The fluid treatment system of claim 87, wherein the population of particles comprises two or more particles of different sizes, of different compositions, or both.

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102. A method of treating a target, comprising:

contacting one or more targets having one or more components with a surface comprising a population of particles partially embedded in the surface,

the population of partially embedded particles comprising an average characteristic dimension in the range of from 0.1 nm to about 1 cm,

the contacting being performed so as to give rise to one or more of the partially embedded particles interacting with one or more components of the target.

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109. A method of embedding particles in a substrate, comprising:

applying, to a substrate, a population of particles to the substrate under such conditions that one or more of the particles is at least partially embedded in the substrate,

the population of particles comprising an average characteristic dimension in the range of from about 0.1 nm to about 1 cm.

110. The method of claim 109, wherein the population of particles is disposed in an fluid.

111. The method of claim 109, further comprising softening the substrate.

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