The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 05, 2012
Filed:
Nov. 14, 2008
Thomas G. Mason, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Kun Zhao, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Thomas G. Mason, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Kun Zhao, Los Angeles, CA (US);
The Regents of the University of California, Oakland, CA (US);
Abstract
A method of assembling composite structures from objects in fluid includes providing a plurality of objects, each having a preselected size, shape, and spatial distribution of surface structural features characterizing a surface roughness; dispersing the objects into the fluid; and introducing a depletion agent. The depletion agent includes a plurality of particles having a size distribution preselected causing an attractive force arising from a depletion attraction between at least a first object and second object of the plurality in at least one relative position and orientation based on the preselected spatial distribution of surface structural features on the first and second objects, and the depletion attraction between the first and second objects forms at least one rigid bond or slippery bond at or proximate to respective surface portions based on the preselected spatial distribution of surface structural features on the first and second objects to form a two-object composite structure.