Enzymes dig channels: Enzymatic etching used to build nano- and microscale surface topologies
Tuesday, September 11, 2012 - 06:30
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org)—In living systems, complex nano- and microscale structures perform a host of physical and biological functions. While two-dimensional patterns can be recreated fairly well with techniques like microlithography, three-dimensional structures represent a big challenge. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, American researchers have now reported a new method for the lithography-free etching of complex surface motifs with the use of biodegradable polymers and enzymes. Starting with structured microchannels, they have built an assembly for the isolation and concentration of cells from whole blood.