Queen's University at Kingston

University Court of the University of St. Andrews

J Hugh Horton

Cathleen M Crudden

Christene Anne Smith

Olena V Zenkina

Iraklii I Ebralidze

Brian Ernest Mariampillai

Abrar R E Alrashed

Christopher J Baddeley

Mina Raafat Ryad Narouz

Christian R Larrea

Joseph Daniel Padmos

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.

Carbene-functionalized composite materials

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

Growing community of inventors

Kingston, Canada

J Hugh Horton