Apparatuses and methods for control and self-assembly of particles into adaptable monolayers

• US 8,729,460 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
• Original Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
• Inventors: Aubry, Nadine N., Singh, Pushpendra, Janjua, Muhammad M., Nudurupati, Sai C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnston, Phillip A
• Application Number:
  US13/247,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20120067725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 250/251
• US Class Current: 250/251
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for the control and self-assembly of particles into adaptable monolayers and changing the relative position of a plurality of particles at an interface between two fluids, including applying an electric field perpendicular to the interface; moving the particles vertically in the interface in response to applying the electric field; moving the particles laterally within the interface in response to the electric field and capillary forces; maintaining the particles at the interface when moving the particles vertically; and maintaining the particles at the interface when moving the particles laterally.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a container;

first and second electrodes located on opposite sides of the container;

a voltage source having an input, having an output connected to the first electrode, and having an output connected to the second electrode;

a sensor oriented to sense a characteristic of particles at an interface between first and second immiscible fluids in the container;

a processor connected to an output of the input device and connected to an input of the voltage source;

a memory connected to the processor and including computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of;

determining a characteristic of the particles at the interface via the input device;

determining whether the characteristic sensed satisfies a predetermined condition;

sending control signals to the voltage source to apply an electric field perpendicular to the interface if the characteristic of the particles at the interface do not meet the predetermined condition;

moving the particles vertically in the interface in response to the electric field;

moving the particles laterally within the interface in response to the electric field and capillary forces; and

maintaining the particles at the interface when moving the particles vertically and when moving the particles laterally.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the particles deform the interface around the particles, and wherein the capillary forces arise because of the deformation of the interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second fluids have different dielectric constants.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second fluids have the same dielectric constants.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface is a film of a third fluid between the first and second fluids.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein:

the particles have a diameter; and

the third fluid has a thickness less than the diameter of the particles.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the container has a bottom surface;

the first fluid is on the bottom surface of the container; and

the first fluid has a thickness; and

the particles have a diameter that is greater than the thickness of the first fluid.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the particles contact the bottom surface of the container.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the container has a bottom surface;

the first fluid is on the bottom surface of the container;

the second fluid is above the first fluid, and the second fluid has a thickness, and

the particles have a diameter that is greater than the thickness of the second fluid.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the container has a top surface; and

the particles contact the top surface of the container.