Image of the Week - 14 September 2004

Polymer Nanostructure Filter Element

Three dimensional polymer nanostructure as a filter element for a microfluidic device. New optical methods enable rapid fabrication of complex three dimensional nanostructures with a wide range of geometries. These structures can be used for a variety of applications, including the one illustrated here: a nanostructured filter for a microfluidic device. The filter in this case removes tiny suspended beads (colorized to appear blue) from fluid flows directed from left to right.
This image, which is being submitted as a potential cover image for the journal of the Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences (PNAS), was colorized in Photoshop through the use of solid color adjustment layers. Masks for those layers were then edited, and set to be semi-transparent in order to easily visualize whether components belong to the beads or the filter.

Image Courtesy: Seokwoo Jeon, and John A. Rogers, Beckman Institute

Contact: jeon@uiuc.edu