Atomic layer deposition-derived ultra-low-density composite bulk materials with deterministic density and composition.

A universal approach for on-demand development of monolithic metal oxide composite bulk materials with air-like densities (<5 mg/cm(3)) is reported. The materials are fabricated by atomic layer deposition of titania (TiO2) or zinc oxide (ZnO) using the nanoscale architecture of 1 mg/cm(3) SiO2 aerogels formed by self-organization as a blueprint. This approach provides deterministic control over density and composition without affecting the nanoscale architecture of the composite material that is otherwise very difficult to achieve.

Functionalized silicon membranes for selective bio-organism capture.

Membranes with various pore size, length, morphology and density have been synthesized from diverse materials for size-exclusion-based separation. An example is the sterilization of intravenous lines by exclusion of bacteria and viruses using polyvinylidene fluoride membranes with 0.1-microm-diameter pores.