3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Sanjay L Patil

Kurt J Halverson

Jerald K Rasmussen

Robin Edgar Wright

Masao Yafuso

Cary A Kipke

James I Hembre

John E Trend

John L Dektar

Moses Mekala David

James Gregory Bentsen

Raj Rajagopal

Louis C Haddad

Patrick L Coleman

Daniel C Duan

Pierre H LePere

Mitchell A Rossman

Shih-Hung Chou

Anila Prabhu

Elisa M Cross

Barbara C Swenson

Evan A Thompson

James F Fagan

Patrick S Quint

High-density, miniaturized arrays including high surface areas. Arrays described include substrate with a coating of linking agents, as well as arrays with reactants affixed to the substrates. Methods of manufacturing high-density arrays of reactants. The methods include the use of oriented, heat shrink films and elastomeric materials. Methods of functionalizing a substrate with linking agents for subsequent affixation of reactants are also disclosed herein.

High density, miniaturized arrays and methods of manufacturing same

Materials for use in miniaturized arrays, the arrays, and methods of manufacturing. Materials for making arrays described include a substrate with a silicon-containing layer, optionally with linking agents and reactants.

Array comprising diamond-like glass film

A coated laminate having an ionic surface including a shrinkable polymeric film, an ionic coating and, optionally, a hydrogel is disclosed. A method for transferring sample molecules from a matrix to a coated laminate having an ionic surface also is disclosed.

Coated film laminate having an ionic surface

The present invention provides high-density arrays including mask layers and methods of manufacturing the same. The arrays are formed on a polymeric substrate and include a mask layer. Various linking agents, linking agent coatings, and/or reactants may be provided on the mask layer. Where present, the linking agents and reactants preferably operate together to capture a desired analyte which can then be detected based on an electromagnetic signal, e.g., fluorescence, that is emitted by the analyte in response to excitation energy incident on the array. With the mask layer in place, the signal-to-background ratio provided by the arrays can be increased.

Arrays with mask layers and methods of manufacturing same

Articles, such as high density arrays, on heat-relaxable substrates that can be relaxed by exposure to thermal energy are disclosed, along with methods of manufacturing the arrays, and systems/apparatus for relaxing arrays using electromagnetic energy. The arrays may themselves include electromagnetic energy sensitive material in their construction, in which case exposure of the arrays to suitable electromagnetic energy can provide the thermal energy required to cause the arrays to relax. In other embodiments, the arrays may not include an electromagnetic energy sensitive material in their construction, in which case the arrays may be heated indirectly, i.e., by locating the arrays within a system or apparatus that includes an electromagnetic energy sensitive material and transferring the thermal energy from the electromagnetic energy sensitive material to the array by, e.g., conduction.

Heat-relaxable substrates and arrays

Arrays with mask layers

A fluorescent ionophoric compound is disclosed that includes a complexing moiety, such as a cryptand or crown-ether portion, and a fluorescing moiety such as a coumarin portion. The coumarin portion may be substituted at the 3-position with an electron withdrawing or polarizable group such as a substituted aromatic group or a substituted heterocyclic group having a heteroatom in at least one of its alpha positions. The compound, which exhibits good photostability, can be incorporated into cation-sensing composite structures by means of convenient points of covalent attachment.

Cation-sensing composite structure and compounds for use therein

The present invention provides processes for the preparation of ionic sensors that include a matrix material, such as ion-permeable cellulose, having a sensing component included therein, such as a fluorescent dye, and an opaque overcoat material. For example, the present invention provides a method of making an ionic sensor comprising: contacting a water-swellable ion-permeable matrix material with an aqueous-based bath of a sensing component, or precursor thereof, under conditions effective to covalently attach the sensing component, or precursor thereof, to the water-swellable ion-permeable matrix material; wherein the aqueous-based bath comprises water and an organic solvent in an amount effective to solubilize the sensing component, or precursor thereof; contacting the water-swellable ion-permeable matrix material having covalently attached sensing component, or precursor thereof, with an aqueous solution having a pH of at least about 10 and an ionic strength of at least about that of a 5% aqueous sodium chloride solution to form a sensing element; and covering the sensing element with an opaque overcoat material. Also provided is a method of making a precursor to a preferred sensing component, i.e., acetoxypyrenetris(sulfonyl)chloride, which is made using a thionyl chloride method. If the sensing component is attached to the matrix material using amine groups, any unreacted amine groups can be capped by contacting them with a solution comprising an acetylating agent, an organic amine, and an ethereal solvent.

Method for producing an ionic sensor

A fluorescent ionophoric compound comprises a cryptand portion and a coumarin portion substituted at the 3-position with an electron withdrawing or polarizable group. The compound, which exhibits good photostability, can be incorporated into cation-sensing composite structures useful in biological and environmental testing, which can be used with conventional glass optics, by means of convenient points of covalent attachment.

A composition of matter useful in a sensor for sensing the concentration of an ionic component in a medium is disclosed. This composition comprises a first material which includes a sensing component in an amount effective to provide a signal which varies as the concentration of the ionic component in the medium varies, and a first matrix material which is permeable to the ionic component; and a second material which includes a second matrix material which is permeable to the ionic component, and an opaque agent in an amount sufficient to render the second material effectively opaque. The first material matrix and the second matrix material are covalently bonded together. Sensing apparatus including such composition of matter and methods for making and using such composition of matter are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Aliso Viejo, CA, United States of America

Sanjay L Patil