申请人:Rose Aimee
公开号:US20060073607A1
公开(公告)日:2006-04-06
The present invention generally relates to polymers with lasing characteristics that allow the polymers to be useful in detecting analytes. In one aspect, the polymer, upon an interaction with an analyte, may exhibit a change in a lasing characteristic that can be determined in some fashion. For example, interaction of an analyte with the polymer may affect the ability of the polymer to reach an excited state that allows stimulated emission of photons to occur, which may be determined, thereby determining the analyte. In another aspect, the polymer, upon interaction with an analyte, may exhibit a change in stimulated emission that is at least 10 times greater with respect to a change in the spontaneous emission of the polymer upon interaction with the analyte. The polymer may be a conjugated polymer in some cases. In one set of embodiments, the polymer includes one or more hydrocarbon side chains, which may be parallel to the polymer backbone in some instances. In another set of embodiments, the polymer may include one or more pendant aromatic rings. In yet another set of embodiments, the polymer may be substantially encapsulated in a hydrocarbon. In still another set of embodiments, the polymer may be substantially resistant to photobleaching. In certain aspects, the polymer may be useful in the detection of explosive agents, such as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT).
本发明通常涉及具有激光特性的聚合物,使得这些聚合物在检测分析物方面是有用的。在一个方面,聚合物在与分析物相互作用时,可能会表现出激光特性的变化,这种变化可以以某种方式确定。例如,分析物与聚合物的相互作用可能会影响聚合物达到激发态的能力,从而允许受激发射光子发生,这可以被确定,从而确定分析物。在另一个方面,聚合物在与分析物相互作用时,可能会表现出受激发射的变化,其相对于与分析物相互作用时聚合物的自发发射的变化至少大10倍。在某些情况下,聚合物可以是共轭聚合物。在一组实施例中,聚合物包括一个或多个碳氢侧链,在某些情况下,这些侧链可能与聚合物的主链平行。在另一组实施例中,聚合物可能包括一个或多个悬挂的芳香环。在另一组实施例中,聚合物可能被大量地封装在碳氢中。在另一组实施例中,聚合物可能对光漂白具有相当的抵抗力。在某些方面,聚合物可能在检测爆炸物质方面是有用的,例如2,4,6-三硝基甲苯(TNT)和2,4-二硝基甲苯(DNT)。