Micro-boat

Micro-boat moving on water surfaces using heating means and nozzle micro-chambers

This technology features a micro-boat fabricated from a silicon substrate. It consists of a first and second substrate bonded together to form a micro-chamber. The propulsion mechanism generates thrust through the reaction force of liquid expelled via a nozzle, driven by the rapid volume expansion caused by the instantaneous vaporization of liquid within the chamber using a heating element.

There is a need to address the limitations of existing electrowetting-based micro-boats, specifically their low movement speeds, short operational lifespans, and the inefficiencies associated with using additional fuel.

This technology places a heating element on the first substrate to periodically vaporize water inside the chamber. By utilizing a hydrophobic surface treatment on the exposed portions of the first substrate, the boat floats on the water surface, allowing it to generate continuous propulsion solely through the circulation of water vaporization and intake, without the need for an external energy source.

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Key Features:

• A first substrate that forms the micro-boat moving on a liquid surface, including a heating element on one side for liquid vaporization.
• A second substrate bonded to the first to form a micro-chamber, including a propulsion nozzle for ejecting vaporized fluid.
• A micro-chamber formed by the bonding of the first and second substrates, generating propulsion through heating and vaporization.
• An exposed lower surface portion of the first substrate, rendered hydrophobic and exposed by the configuration of the first and second substrates.

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