Artificial cilia for microparticle manipulation and anti-fouling

The (bio-)fouling of surfaces submerged in liquid forms serious a problem for many applications. One inspiration to address this issue is the use of cilia which, in nature, are found very effective in particle manipulation. We have fabricated magnetically actuated artificial cilia (MAAC) using a novel out-of-cleanroom, cost-effective and potentially large-scale roll-pulling method. When actuated by a rotating magnet, the MAAC perform a synchronized tilted conical movement and hence generate fluid flow which is of great importance in manipulating surrounding particles. The geometrical arrangement and aspect ratios of the MAAC can be adjusted by varying process parameters and material compositions.