Microorganism cells could be used as templates during fabrication of magnetic or conductive microstructures in different standard shapes. In this paper, feasibility of magnetizing microorganism cells by sol-gel method, which is to coat cells of Spirulina (a type of natural micro-helical microorganism) with the ferrite (a kind of magnetic material), was discussed and investigated. Then the cell form, components and the phase structure were observed and analyzed using various tools including optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray detector (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Results showed that spirulina cells could be coated with ferrite after the sol-gel process, with the shape of natural helixes well kept, that the components of different sampling points on the surface layer were consistent and the thickness of layer was uniform, and that the type of the surface ferrite layer formed was cubic Fe3O4. It was also observed that there were nano-particles yielded in the cells and certain deposit on the walls between cells. The kinetics of the cell magnetization technology by sol-gel was also discussed.
Direct replication of creatural scarfskins to form biomimetic surfaces with relatively vivid morphology is a new attempt of the bio-replicated forming technology at animal body. Taking shark skins as the replication templates, and the micro-embossing and micro-molding as the material forming methods, the micro-replicating technology of the outward morphology on shark skins was demonstrated. The preliminary analysis on replication precision indicates that the bio-replicated forming technology can replicate the outward morphology of the shark scales with good precision, which validates the application of the bio-replicated forming technology in the direct morphology replication of the firm creatural scarfskins.
Bacteria cells with different standard shapes are well suited for use as templates for the fabrication of magnetic and electrically conductive microstructures. In this paper, metallization of bacteria cells is demonstrated by an electroless deposition technique of nickel-phosphorus initiated by colloid palladium-tin catalyst on the surfaces of Citeromyces matritensis and Bacillus cereus. The activated and metallized bacteria cells have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Results showed that both Citeromyces matritensis and Bacillus cereus had no deformation in shape after metallization; the metallized films deposited on the surfaces of bacteria cells are homogeneous in thickness and noncrystalline in phase structure. The kinetics of colloid palladium-tin solution and electroless plating on bacteria cells is discussed.
