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US 7,135,143 B2Granted
Detecting compounds with liquid crystals
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsNicholas L. Abbott, Rahul R. Shah
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for detecting a compound in a sample includes a substrate and a self-assembled monolayer. The substrate includes a support with a metallized top surface, and the self-assembled monolayer includes an alkanethiol attached to the metallized top surface of the substrate and having a functional group that reversibly or irreversibly interacts with the compound. A liquid crystal is disposed on the self-assembled monolayer opposite the side of the self-assembled monolayer attached to the metallized top surface of the substrate. The liquid crystal includes a moiety that interacts with the functional group of the alkanethiol. When the compound is present in a sample that that contacts the self-assembled monolayer, the orientation of the liquid crystal is altered.
Claims67
A device for detecting the presence of a compound in a sample, comprising:
- (a) a substrate comprising a support with a metallized top surface;
- (b) a self-assembled monolayer comprising an alkanethiol attached to the metallized top surface of the substrate, the alkanethiol having a functional group that reversibly or irreversibly interacts with the compound, wherein the functional group comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Cd, Rb, K, Li, Cs, Ag, Au, Zn, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, Nb, Ru, Rh, Hf, Ta, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, La, Sn, and Eu;
- and
- (c) a liquid crystal disposed on a top surface of the self-assembled monolayer opposite the side of the self-assembled monolayer attached to the metallized top surface of the substrate, the liquid crystal comprising a moiety that interacts with the functional group of the alkanethiol, wherein when the compound is present in a sample that contacts the self-assembled monolayer, the orientation of the liquid crystal disposed on the self-assembled monolayer is altered.
1 more element
A method for detecting the presence of a compound in a sample, comprising:
- (a) contacting a device for detecting the presence of a compound in a sample with the sample, wherein the device for detecting the presence of the compound in a sample comprises:
- (i) a substrate comprising a support having a metallized top surface;
- and
- (ii) a self-assembled monolayer comprising a first alkanethiol attached to the metallized top surface of the substrate, the alkanethiol comprising an alkanethiol having a functional group that reversibly or irreversibly interacts with the compound, wherein the functional group comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Cd, Rb, K, Li, Cs, Ag, Au, Zn, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, Nb, Ru, Rh, Hf, Ta, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, La, Sn, and Eu;
- (b) disposing a liquid crystal on a top surface of the self-assembled monolayer of the substrate, the liquid crystal having a moiety that interacts with the functional group of the alkanethiol;
- and
- (c) determining whether the orientation of the liquid crystal on the self-assembled monolayer changes after the device contacts the sample.
4 more elements
A kit for detecting the presence of a compound in a sample, comprising:
- (a) a substrate having a support with a metallized top surface;
- (b) an alkanethiol comprising a functional group that reversibly or irreversibly interacts with the compound, wherein the functional group comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Cd, Rb, K, Li, Cs, Ag, Au, Zn, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, Nb, Ru, Rh, Hf, Ta, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, La, Sn, and Eu;
- and
- (c) a liquid crystal having a moiety that interacts with the functional group of the alkanethiol.
1 more element
A method for manufacturing a device for detecting the presence of a compound in a sample, comprising:
- (a) depositing a metal on a surface of a support to form a support with a metallized surface;
- (b) contacting an alkanethiol with the metallized surface of the support to form a self-assembled monolayer with a bottom surface attached to the metallized top surface of the support and a top surface, wherein the alkanethiol includes a functional group that reversibly or irreversibly interacts with the compound;
- (c) contacting at least a first region of the self-assembled monolayer with a first metal salt to produce a first region with a first metal complex, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Cd, Rb, K, Li, Cs, Ag, Au, Zn, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, Nb, Ru, Rh, Hf, Ta, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, La, Sn, and Eu;
- and
- (d) depositing a liquid crystal on the top surface of the self-assembled monolayer, wherein the liquid crystal comprises a moiety that interacts with the functional group of the alkanethiol.
2 more elements
A device for detecting the presence of a compound in a sample, comprising:
- (a) a surface including functional groups, wherein the functional groups are bonded to a metal forming a metal complex, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Cd, Rb, K, Li, Cs, Ag, Au, Zn, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, Nb, Ru, Rh, Hf, Ta, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, La, Sn, and Eu;
- and
- (b) a liquid crystal deposited over the surface, the liquid crystal including a moiety that reversibly binds to the metal of the metal complex such that at least a portion of the liquid crystal is bound to the metal complex;
- wherein the metal complex is capable of reversibly or irreversibly binding a portion of the compound to be detected, such that when the compound is present in the sample, the portion of the compound will interact with the metal complex and displace at least some of the liquid crystal that was bound to the metal complex.
1 more element
A method for manufacturing a device for detecting the presence of a compound in a sample, comprising:
- (a) depositing a metal on a surface of a support to form a support with a metallized surface;
- (b) contacting an alkanethiol with the metallized surface of the support to form a self-assembled monolayer with a bottom surface attached to the metallized top surface of the support and a top surface, wherein the alkanethiol includes a functional group that reversibly or irreversibly interacts with the compound;
- and
- (c) contacting a first region of the self-assembled monolayer with a first metal salt to produce a first region with a first metal complex and contacting a second region of the self-assembled monolayer with a second metal salt different from that of the first metal salt to produce a second region of the self-assembled monolayer with a second metal complex that is distinct from the first region of the self-assembled monolayer;
- and
- (d) depositing a liquid crystal on the top surface of the self-assembled monolayer, wherein the liquid crystal comprises a moiety that interacts with the functional group of the alkanethiol.
3 more elements
A device for detecting the presence of a compound in a sample, comprising:
- (a) a surface including functional groups, wherein the functional groups are bonded to a first metal in a first region forming a first metal complex and the functional groups are bonded to at least a second different metal in at least a second region of the surface forming at least a second metal complex;
- and
- (b) a liquid crystal deposited over the surface, the liquid crystal including a moiety that reversibly binds to the metal of at least the first metal complex such that at least a portion of the liquid crystal is bound to the first metal complex;
- wherein at least the first metal complex is capable of reversibly or irreversibly binding a portion of the compound to be detected, such that when the compound is present in the sample, the portion of the compound will interact with at least the first metal complex and displace at least some of the liquid crystal that was bound to the first metal complex.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.