Noy Bassik

Tetherless thermobiochemically actuated microgrippers

We demonstrate mass-producible, tetherless microgrippers that can be remotely triggered by temperature and chemicals under biologically relevant conditions. The microgrippers use a self-contained actuation response, obviating the need for external tethers in operation. The grippers can be actuated en masse, even while spatially separated. We used the microgrippers to perform diverse functions, such as picking up a bead on a substrate and the removal of cells from tissue embedded at the end of a capillary (an in vitro biopsy).

Microassembly based on hands free origami with bidirectional curvature.

Microassembly based on origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, presents an attractive methodology for constructing complex three-dimensional (3D) devices and advanced materials. A variety of functional structures have been created using patterned metallic, semiconducting, and polymeric thin films, but have been limited to those that curve in a single direction. We report a design framework that can be used to achieve spontaneous bidirectional folds with any desired angle, and we demonstrate theoretical and experimental realizations of complex 3D structures with +90 degrees , -90 degrees , +180 degrees , and -180 degrees folds. The strategy is parallel, versatile, and compatible with conventional microfabrication.

Pick-and-Place Using Chemically Actuated Microgrippers

In this communication, we demonstrate the concept of single-use, chemically triggered, reversible tools in the form of mobile grippers that can be used to manipulate micro-objects. Both the closing and opening of the mobile grippers are triggered by chemicals, namely acetic acid (CH(3)COOH) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), respectively. The grippers close and open en masse based on chemically triggered, mechanical property changes within trilayer joints patterned within the gripper, and no external power is needed for operation. We describe the actuation of the gripper using a multilayer thin film model and demonstrate the utility of the gripper by picking-and-placing 200 microm diameter tubes and beads. Our pick-and-place microgripper is a first step toward the development of functional Micro Chemo-Mechanical Systems (MCMS), which are actuated by chemistry as opposed to electricity [as in Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)].

Enzymatically triggered actuation of miniaturized tools

We demonstrate a methodology that utilizes the specificity of enzyme-substrate biomolecular interactions to trigger miniaturized tools under biocompatible conditions. Miniaturized grippers were constructed using multilayer hinges that employed intrinsic strain energy and biopolymer triggers, as well as ferromagnetic elements. This composition obviated the need for external energy sources and allowed for remote manipulation of the tools. Selective enzymatic degradation of biopolymer hinge components triggered closing of the grippers; subsequent reopening was achieved with an orthogonal enzyme. We highlight the utility of these enzymatically triggered tools by demonstrating the biopsy of liver tissue from a model organ system and gripping and releasing an alginate bead. This strategy suggests an approach for the development of smart materials and devices that autonomously reconfigure in response to extremely specific biological environments.

Directed Growth of Fibroblasts into Three Dimensional Micropatterned Geometries via Self-Assembling Scaffolds

We describe the use of conventional photolithography to construct three dimensional (3D) thin film scaffolds and direct the growth of fibroblasts into three distinct and anatomically relevant geometries: cylinders, spirals and bi-directionally folded sheets. The scaffolds were micropatterned as two dimensional sheets which then spontaneously assembled into specific geometries upon release from the underlying substrate. The viability of fibroblasts cultured on these self-assembling scaffolds was verified using fluorescence microscopy; cell morphology and spreading were studied using scanning electron microscopy. We demonstrate control over scaffold size, radius of curvature and folding pitch, thereby enabling an attractive approach for investigating the effects of these 3D geometric factors on cell behaviour.

Solvent driven motion of lithographically fabricated gels.

We investigated the solvent driven motion of lithographically structured poly- N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAm) gels. The gels were soaked in ethanol and then transferred to water, where they moved spontaneously. This movement was driven by the expulsion of the ethanol from the gel and subsequent ethanol spreading at the air-water interface. We utilized lithographic patterning of the gels at the micron-millimeter length scales to investigate the effect of size, shape and symmetry. Lithographic patterning allowed the structures to be fabricated in an identical manner, thereby allowing a single variable (such as shape, size, or symmetry) to be altered while minimizing change in other variables such as thickness, roughness and swelling characteristics. The diverse range of motions including translation, precession and rotation could be controlled and were recorded using videography. Gels were lithographically patterned with features less than 100 microm, and exhibited remarkably high linear and rotational velocities of up to 31 cm/s and 3529 rpm over time spans of seconds to minutes. We observed a reciprocal dependence of maximum rotational velocity on linear dimension. The linear velocity for all types of motion, along a line or curve, was analyzed and found to be similar across different shapes and sizes. This velocity was in the range of 17-39 cm/s even though our sizes and shapes varied across orders of magnitude. We postulate that this velocity is related to the velocity of spreading of ethanol on water, which is approximately 53 cm/s. Additionally, since this solvent powered motion is a clean, quiet and reusable source of motive power, with no need for on-board wiring or batteries, we explored applications in moving lithographically integrated metallic payloads on top of the gels and utilized the gels to move larger floating objects.

Self-Assembly Based on Chromium/Copper Bilayers

In this paper, we detail a strategy to self-assemble microstructures using chromium/copper (Cr/Cu) bilayers. Self-assembly was primarily driven by the intrinsic residual stresses of Cr within these films; in addition, the degree of bending could be controlled by changing the Cu film thickness and by introducing a third layer with either a flexible polymer or a rigid metal. We correlate the observed curvature of patterned self-assembled microstructures with those predicted by a published multilayer model. In the model, measured stress values (measured on the unpatterned films using a substrate curvature method) were utilized. We also investigated the role of two different sacrificial layers: 1) silicon and 2) water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol. Finally, a Taguchi design of experiments was performed to investigate the importance of the different layers in contributing to the stress-thickness product (the critical parameter that controls the curvature of the self-assembled microstructures) of the multilayers. This paper facilitates a deeper understanding of multilayer thin-film-based self-assembly and provides a framework to assemble complex microstructures, including tetherless self-actuating devices.

Tetherless Microgrippers With Transponder Tags

We describe the concept of utilizing tetherless microstructured grippers with attached silicon (Si)-based chips for event-based gripping. Grippers were fabricated using photolithography, and Si chips were bonded to them using a solder-based directed assembly approach. Because we propose the use of these grippers as tags or to attach electronic devices to various surfaces, we also attached commercial microtransponder chips to the grippers as a specific example of an integrated and commercially available electronic device. After assembly, we released grippers with integrated chips from the substrate. Grippers closed upon exposure to heat (>; 40°C) or specific chemical environments that softened or degraded a polymer trigger layer incorporated within each hinge. We investigated gripping capabilities of chip-carrying grippers on woven textile fibers and a live caterpillar; these demonstrations were achieved without any attached wires or electrical power. The autonomous thermochemical closure response of the grippers coupled with convenient and secure attachment of wireless microtransponders is a step toward the creation of smart event-based gripping platforms with communication modules.