Queen's University at Kingston

The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning / Mcgill University

University Court of the University of St. Andrews

Cathleen M Crudden

J Hugh Horton

Olena V Zenkina

Christene Anne Smith

Iraklii I Ebralidze

R Stephen Brown

Brian Ernest Mariampillai

Hans-Peter Loock

Janine Mauzeroll

Justin Lomax

Eden Ramona Goodwin

Seán Barry

Christian R Larrea

Paul Ragogna

Mina Raafat Ryad Narouz

Jenny Du

Waruni Senanayake

Yolanda Hedberg

Steven E Dickson

Lila Laundry-Mottiar

Joseph Daniel Padmos

Thilini Malsha Suduwella

Larbi M S Benhabib

Marshall Shuai Yang

Abrar R E Alrashed

Christopher J Baddeley

Stable, carbene-functionalized composite materials and methods and uses thereof are provided. The carbene-functionalized composite materials comprise a material having a metal surface and a carbene layer that is uniform, contaminant-free (metal oxide, etc), and more stable than thiol-functionalized monolayers. Studies are described that demonstrate carbene as a coating on steel, as well as other metals. Studies are described that demonstrate carbene as a primer for a topcoat on steel.

Carbene-functionalized composite materials

An etchant is described that includes an N-heterocyclic carbene and optionally an appropriate solvent. The etchant was effective at etching a metallic surface having, for example, a metal oxide and/or metal, in both solution phase and vapour-phase. The etchant has been shown to effectively etch oxidized copper and tungsten.

Etching metal using N-heterocyclic carbenes

The present application provides stable, carbene-functionalized composite materials, and methods and uses thereof. These carbene-functionalized composite materials comprise a material having a metal surface, and a carbene monolayer that is uniform, contaminant-free (metal oxide, etc), and more stable than thiol-functionalized monolayers. Uses of such carbene-functionalized composite materials include semi-conducting materials, microelectronic devices, drug delivery or sensing applications.

Deposition of carbene monolayers that excluded starting anions, such as iodide ions, has been achieved. Anions such as iodide are a typical contaminant in carbene hydrogen carbonate salts when synthesized using the state-of-the-art method. A method is described for eliminating substantially all starting anion (e.g., iodide) contamination from the monolayer. Air stable, purified carbenes precursors were used to deposit an intact monolayer on the surface of some industrially relevant metals. The monolayer's ability to protect these metals against, for example, oxidation has been demonstrated.

Methods of forming carbene-functionalized composite materials

The invention relates to a method for sensing the presence of at least one analyte in a medium, comprising disposing in the medium a functionalized composite material such that the at least one analyte is absorbed by the functionalized composite material, the functionalized composite material having at least one optical property that is modulated by absorption of the at least one analyte; and measuring modulation of the at least one optical property of the functionalized composite material; wherein modulation of the at least one optical property of the functionalized composite material is indicative of the presence of the analyte in the medium. The invention also relates to an optical sensor for sensing the presence of at least one analyte in a medium, and a functionalized composite material having at least one optical property that is modulated upon absorption of one or more analyte.

Optical sensor using functionalized composite materials

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Kingston, Canada

Cathleen M Crudden