Claims
- 1. A method for detecting an acid or base in an environment, measuring the concentration of an acid or base in an environment, or measuring the pH of an environment, comprising
(a) contacting the environment comprising the acid or the base with a sensor, comprising
(1) an index of refraction transducer having an outer surface; (2) at least one compound comprising at least one functional group of a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, a Bronsted base, or a combination thereof, wherein the compound is on or near the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the functional group can interact with the acid or base in the environment to induce a change in index of refraction on or near the outer surface of the transducer, with the provisos that
(i) the compound does not undergo a color change when contacted with the acid or base, and (ii) when there are naturally occurring functional groups, no transducer attached compounds, and exactly one overlayer, then the overlayer is not poly(vinyl alcohol); (3) a means for detecting or measuring the change of index of refraction, and (4) a means for converting the change of index of refraction to a signal that corresponds to the detection of the acid or base in the environment, the concentration of the acid or base in the environment, or the pH of the environment, (b) measuring the change of index of refraction, and (c) converting the change of index of refraction to a signal that corresponds to the detection of the acid or base in the environment, the concentration of the acid or base in the environment, or the pH of the environment.
- 2. A method for detecting an acid or base in an environment, measuring the concentration of an acid or base in an environment, or measuring the pH of an environment, comprising
(a) contacting the environment comprising an acid or a base with a sensor, comprising
(1) an index of refraction transducer having an outer surface; (2) at least one compound comprising at least one functional group of a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, a Bronsted base, or a combination thereof, wherein the compound is on or near the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the functional group can facilitate the transfer of at least one proton between the compound and the acid or base in the environment, wherein the transfer of the proton induces a change in the index of refraction on or near the outer surface of the transducer, with the provisos that
(i) the compound does not undergo a color change when contacted with the acid or base, and (ii) when there are naturally occurring functional groups, no transducer attached compounds, and exactly one overlayer, then the overlayer is not poly(vinyl alcohol); (3) a means for detecting or measuring the change of index of refraction, and (4) a means for converting the change of index of refraction to a signal that corresponds to the detection of the acid or base in the environment, the concentration of the acid or base in the environment, or the pH of the environment, (b) measuring the change of index of refraction, and (c) converting the change of index of refraction to a signal that corresponds to the detection of the acid or base in the environment, the concentration of the acid or base in the environment, or the pH of the environment.
- 3. A method for detecting the presence of an acid or base in an environment, measuring the concentration of an acid or base in an environment, or measuring the pH of an environment, comprising
(a) contacting the environment comprising the acid or the base with a sensor, comprising
(1) an index of refraction transducer having an outer surface; (2) at least one compound attached to the transducer comprising at least one transducer attached compound functional group of a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, a Bronsted base, or a combination thereof, wherein the transducer attached compound is on or near the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the transducer attached compound functional group can interact with the acid or base in the environment to induce a change in index of refraction on or near the outer surface of the transducer, with the proviso that the compound does not undergo a color change when contacted with the acid or base; (3) a means for detecting or measuring the change of index of refraction, and (4) a means for converting the change of index of refraction to a signal that corresponds to the detection of the acid or base in the environment, the concentration of the acid or base in the environment, or the pH of the environment, (b) measuring the change of index of refraction, and (c) converting the change of index of refraction to a signal that corresponds to detecting the acid or base in the environment, the concentration of the acid or base in the environment, or the pH of the environment.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein (i) the transducer attached compound is indirectly attached to the outer surface of the transducer, (ii) the transducer attached compound is directly attached to the outer surface of the transducer, or a combination thereof.
- 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the transducer comprises a fiber optic evanescent wave sensor, a planar optic evanescent wave sensor, an integrated optic interferometer, a directional coupler, a grating coupler, a resonant mirror, an ellipsometer, a refractometer, or a surface plasmon resonance device.
- 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the Bronsted acid comprises water, a proton, a natural amino acid, a non-natural amino acid, a carboxylic acid, an organophosphoric acid, an organosulfuric acid, a protonated nitrogen compound, an alcohol, a thiol, an activated methylene compound, an organonitro compound, or a combination thereof.
- 7. The method of claim 3, wherein the Bronsted base comprises water, a hydroxide, a carboxylate, an organophosphonate, an organosulfonate, a neutral nitrogen compound, an alkoxide, a thioalkoxide, a conjugate base of a methylene compound, a conjugate base of an organonitro compound, an amino acid, an amine, an amide, an imine, or a combination thereof.
- 8. The method of claim 3, wherein the transducer attached compound is an amino acid comprising glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, histidine, tyrosine, cysteine, or a combination thereof.
- 9. The method of claim 3, wherein the transducer attached compound is a peptide comprising the repeat units of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, histidine, tyrosine, cysteine, or a combination thereof.
- 10. The method of claim 3, wherein the sensor further comprises an excluding layer having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface of the excluding layer is applied to the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the excluding layer does not undergo a color change when contacted with the acid or base.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the excluding layer comprises a porous glass, a sol-gel, a membrane, a wax, an ormosil, a polymer layer, or a combination thereof.
- 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the excluding layer comprises a polymer layer, and the polymer layer comprises poly(butyl methacrylate-co-isobutyl methacrylate), ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, polytetrafluoroethylene, or poly(2,2-bistrifluoromethyl-4,5-difluoro-1,3-dioxole-co-tetrafluoroethylene).
- 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the excluding layer has a thickness of from 1 to 10,000 nm.
- 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the excluding layer has a thickness of from 10 to 1,000 nm.
- 15. The method of claim 10, wherein the excluding layer has a thickness of from 400 to 600 nm.
- 16. The method of claim 3, wherein the environment comprises the gas phase, the liquid phase, or a combination thereof.
- 17. A method for detecting an acid or base in an environment, measuring the concentration of an acid or base in an environment, or measuring the pH of an environment, comprising
(a) contacting the environment comprising the acid or the base with a sensor, comprising
(1) an index of refraction transducer having an outer surface; (2) at least one overlayer having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the overlayer has at least one overlayer compound having at least one overlayer compound functional group of a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, a Bronsted base, or a combination thereof incorporated within the overlayer, wherein the overlayer compound is on or near the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the inner surface of the overlayer is applied to the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the overlayer compound functional group can interact with the acid or base in the environment to induce a change of index of refraction on or near the outer surface of the transducer, with the provisos that
(i) the compound does not undergo a color change when contacted with the acid or base, and (ii) when there are naturally occurring functional groups, no transducer attached compounds, and exactly one overlayer, then the overlayer is not poly(vinyl alcohol); (3) a means for detecting or measuring the change of index of refraction, and (4) a means for converting the change of index of refraction to a signal that corresponds to the detection of the acid or base in the environment, the concentration of the acid or base in the environment, or the pH of the environment, (b) measuring the change of index of refraction, and (c) converting the change of index of refraction to a signal that corresponds to the detection of the acid or base in the environment, the concentration of the acid or base in the environment, or the pH of the environment.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the transducer comprises a fiber optic evanescent wave sensor, a planar optic evanescent wave sensor, an integrated optic interferometer, a directional coupler, a grating coupler, a resonant mirror, an ellipsometer, a refractometer, or a surface plasmon resonance device.
- 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the Bronsted acid comprises water, a proton, a natural amino acid, a non-natural amino acid, a carboxylic acid, an organophosphoric acid, an organosulfuric acid, a protonated nitrogen compound, an alcohol, a thiol, an activated methylene compound, an organonitro compound, or a combination thereof.
- 20. The sensor of claim 17, wherein the Bronsted base comprises water, a hydroxide, a carboxylate, an organophosphonate, an organosulfonate, a neutral nitrogen compound, an alkoxide, a thioalkoxide, a conjugate base of a methylene compound, a conjugate base of an organonitro compound, an amino acid, an amine, an amide, an imine, or a combination thereof.
- 21. The method of claim 17, wherein the overlayer comprises a porous glass, a sol-gel, a membrane, a wax, an ormosil, a polymer layer, or a combination thereof.
- 22. The method of claim 17, wherein the overlayer comprises a polymer layer, wherein the polymer layer is a homopolymer, a copolymer, a terpolymer, or a combination thereof.
- 23. The method of claim 17, wherein the overlayer comprises
(a) at least one first overlayer having at least one first overlayer contained compound having at least one first overlayer contained compound functional group comprising a Lewis acid, Lewis base, Bronsted acid, a Bronsted base, or a combination thereof, wherein the first overlayer contained compound is contained in the first overlayer, (b) at least one second overlayer having at least one second overlayer bonded compound having at least one second overlayer bonded compound functional group comprising a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, or a Bronsted base, wherein the second overlayer bonded compound is covalently, ionically, or hydrogen bonded to the second overlayer, or (c) at least one third overlayer comprising (1) at least one third overlayer bonded compound having at least one third overlayer bonded compound functional group comprising a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, or a Bronsted base, wherein the third overlayer bonded compound is covalently, ionically, or hydrogen bonded to the third overlayer and (2) a third overlayer contained compound having at least one third overlayer contained compound functional group comprising a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, or a Bronsted base, wherein the third overlayer contained compound is contained in the third overlayer, or a combination thereof.
- 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the overlayer comprises component (b) and the second overlayer is poly(vinyl phenol), polystyrene sulfonate (sodium salt), polyethyleneimine, or poly(acrylic acid).
- 25. The method of claim 23, wherein the overlayer comprises component (c) and (1) the third overlayer comprises poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) and (2) glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, cysteine, histidine, or a combination thereof, and/or a peptide comprising the repeat units of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, cysteine, or histidine, or a combination thereof, is contained in the third overlayer.
- 26. The method of claim 17, wherein the overlayer has a thickness of from 1 to 10,000 nm.
- 27. The method of claim 17, wherein the overlayer has a thickness of from 10 to 1,000 nm.
- 28. The method of claim 17, wherein the overlayer has a thickness of from 400 to 600 nm.
- 29. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor further comprises an excluding layer having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface of the excluding layer is applied to the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the excluding layer does not undergo a color change when contacted with the acid or base, wherein the excluding layer and the overlayer are not the same composition.
- 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the excluding layer comprises a porous glass, a sol-gel, a membrane, a wax, an ormosil, a polymer layer, or a combination thereof.
- 31. The method of claim 29, wherein the excluding layer comprises a polymer layer, and the polymer layer comprises poly(butyl methacrylate-co-isobutyl methacrylate), ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, polytetrafluoroethylene, or poly(2,2-bistrifluoromethyl-4,5-difluoro-1,3-dioxole-co-tetrafluoroethylene).
- 32. The method of claim 29, wherein (1) the overlayer comprises a polymer and the polymer comprises poly(vinyl phenol), polystyrene sulfonate (sodium salt), polyethyleneimine, or poly(acrylic acid), and (2) the excluding layer comprises a polymer layer and the polymer layer comprises poly(butyl methacrylate-co-isobutyl methacrylate), ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, or poly(2,2-bistrifluoromethyl-4,5-difluoro-1,3-dioxole-cotetrafluoroethylene).
- 33. The method of claim 29, wherein the excluding layer has a thickness of from 1 to 10,000 nm.
- 34. The method of claim 29, wherein the excluding layer has a thickness of from 10 to 1,000 nm.
- 35. The method of claim 29, wherein the excluding layer has a thickness of from 400 to 600 nm.
- 36. The method of claim 17, wherein the environment comprises the gas phase, the liquid phase, or a combination thereof.
- 37. A method for detecting the presence of an acid or base in an environment, measuring the concentration of an acid or base in an environment, or measuring the pH of an environment, comprising
(a) contacting the environment comprising the acid or the base with a sensor, comprising
(1) an index of refraction transducer having an outer surface; (2) at least one compound attached to the transducer comprising at least one transducer attached compound functional group of a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, a Bronsted base, or a combination thereof, wherein the transducer attached compound is on or near the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the transducer attached compound functional group can interact with the acid or base in the environment to induce a change in index of refraction on or near the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the transducer attached compound does not undergo a color change when contacted with the acid or base; (3) at least one overlayer having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the overlayer has at least one overlayer compound having at least one overlayer compound functional group of a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, a Bronsted base, or a combination thereof, incorporated within the overlayer, wherein the overlayer compound is on or near the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the inner surface of the overlayer is applied to the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the overlayer compound functional group can interact with the acid or base in the environment to induce a change of index of refraction on or near the outer surface of the transducer, with the proviso that the compound does not undergo a color change when contacted with the acid or base; (4) a means for detecting or measuring the change of index of refraction, and (5) a means for converting the change of index of refraction to a signal that corresponds to the detection of the acid or base in the environment, the concentration of the acid or base in the environment, or the pH of the environment, (b) measuring the change of index of refraction, and (c) converting the change of index of refraction to a signal that corresponds to detecting the acid or base in the environment, the concentration of the acid or base in the environment, or the pH of the environment.
- 38. The method of claim 37, wherein (i) the transducer attached compound is indirectly attached to the outer surface of the transducer, (ii) the transducer attached compound is directly attached to the outer surface of the transducer, or a combination thereof.
- 39. The method of claim 37, wherein the transducer comprises a fiber optic evanescent wave sensor, a planar optic evanescent wave sensor, an integrated optic interferometer, a directional coupler, a grating coupler, a resonant mirror, an ellipsometer, a refractometer, or a surface plasmon resonance device.
- 40. The method of claim 37, wherein the Bronsted acid comprises water, a proton, a natural amino acid, a non-natural amino acid, a carboxylic acid, an organophosphoric acid, an organosulfuric acid, a protonated nitrogen compound, an alcohol, a thiol, an activated methylene compound, an organonitro compound, or a combination thereof.
- 41. The method of claim 37, wherein the Bronsted base comprises water, a hydroxide, a carboxylate, an organophosphonate, an organosulfonate, a neutral nitrogen compound, an alkoxide, a thioalkoxide, a conjugate base of a methylene compound, a conjugate base of an organonitro compound, an amino acid, an amine, an amide, an imine, or a combination thereof.
- 42. The method of claim 37, wherein the transducer attached compound is an amino acid comprising glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, histidine, tyrosine, cysteine, or a combination thereof.
- 43. The method of claim 37, wherein the transducer attached compound is a peptide comprising the repeat units of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, histidine, tyrosine, cysteine, or a combination thereof.
- 44. The method of claim 37, wherein the overlayer comprises a porous glass, a sol-gel, a membrane, a wax, an ormosil, a polymer layer, or a combination thereof.
- 45. The method of claim 37, wherein the overlayer comprises a polymer layer, wherein the polymer layer is a homopolymer, a copolymer, a terpolymer, or a combination thereof.
- 46. The method of claim 37, wherein the overlayer comprises
(a) at least one first overlayer having at least one first overlayer contained compound having at least one first overlayer contained compound functional group comprising a Lewis acid, Lewis base, Bronsted acid, a Bronsted base, or a combination thereof, wherein the first overlayer contained compound is contained in the first overlayer, (b) at least one second overlayer having at least one second overlayer bonded compound having at least one second overlayer bonded compound functional group comprising a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, or a Bronsted base, wherein the second overlayer bonded compound is covalently, ionically, or hydrogen bonded to the second overlayer, or (c) at least one third overlayer comprising (1) at least one third overlayer bonded compound having at least one third overlayer bonded compound functional group comprising a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, or a Bronsted base, wherein the third overlayer bonded compound is covalently, ionically, or hydrogen bonded to the third overlayer and (2) a third overlayer contained compound having at least one third overlayer contained compound functional group comprising a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, or a Bronsted base, wherein the third overlayer contained compound is contained in the third overlayer, or a combination thereof.
- 47. The method of claim 46, wherein the overlayer comprises component (b) and the second overlayer is poly(vinyl phenol), polystyrene sulfonate (sodium salt), polyethyleneimine, or poly(acrylic acid).
- 48. The method of claim 46, wherein the overlayer comprises component (c) and (1) the third overlayer comprises poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and (2) glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, cysteine, histidine, or a combination thereof, and/or a peptide comprising the repeat units of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, cysteine, or histidine, or a combination thereof, is contained in the third overlayer.
- 49. The method of claim 37, wherein (1) the transducer attached compound is an amino acid comprising glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, cysteine, histidine, or a combination thereof, and (2) the overlayer comprises poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate).
- 50. The method of claim 37, wherein (1) the transducer attached compound is a peptide comprising the repeat units of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, cysteine, or histidine or a combination thereof, and (2) the overlayer comprises poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate).
- 51. The method of claim 37, wherein the overlayer has a thickness of from 1 to 10,000 n.
- 52. The method of claim 37, wherein the overlayer has a thickness of from 10 to 1,000 nm.
- 53. The method of claim 37, wherein the overlayer has a thickness of from 400 to 600 nm.
- 54. The method of claim 37, wherein the sensor further comprises an excluding layer having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface of the excluding layer is applied to the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the excluding layer does not undergo a color change when contacted with the acid or base, wherein the excluding layer and the overlayer are not the same composition.
- 55. The method of claim 54, wherein the excluding layer comprises a porous glass, a sol-gel, a membrane, a wax, an ormosil, a polymer layer, or a combination thereof.
- 56. The method of claim 54, wherein the excluding layer comprises a polymer layer, and the polymer layer comprises poly(butyl methacrylate-co-isobutyl methacrylate), ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, polytetrafluoroethylene, or poly(2,2-bistrifluoromethyl-4,5-difluoro-1,3-dioxole-co-tetrafluoroethylene).
- 57. The method of claim 54, wherein the excluding layer has a thickness of from 1 to 10,000 nm.
- 58. The method of claim 54, wherein the excluding layer has a thickness of from 10 to 1,000 nm.
- 59. The method of claim 54, wherein the excluding layer has a thickness of from 400 to 600 nm.
- 60. The method of claim 37, wherein the environment comprises the gas phase, the liquid phase, or a combination thereof.
- 61. A sensor for detecting an acid or base in an environment, measuring the concentration of an acid or base in an environment, or measuring the pH of an environment, comprising
(a) an index of refraction transducer having an outer surface; (b) at least one compound comprising at least one functional group of a Lewis acid, a Lewis base, a Bronsted acid, a Bronsted base, or a combination thereof, wherein the compound is on or near the outer surface of the transducer, wherein the functional group can interact with the acid or base in the environment to induce a change in index of refraction on or near the outer surface of the transducer, with the provisos that
(i) the compound does not undergo a color change when contacted with the acid or base, and (ii) when there are naturally occurring functional groups, no transducer attached compounds, and exactly one overlayer, then the overlayer is not poly(vinyl alcohol); (c) a means for detecting or measuring the change of index of refraction, and (d) a means for converting the change of index of refraction to a signal that corresponds to the detection of the acid or base in the environment, the concentration of the acid or base in the environment, or the pH of the environment.
- 62. The sensor of claim 61, wherein the compound comprises an amino acid or a short peptide.
- 63. The sensor of claim 62, wherein the compound is an amino acid, and the amino acid comprises glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, cysteine, histidine, or a combination thereof.
- 64. The sensor of claim 62, wherein the compound is a short peptide, and the short peptide comprises the repeat units of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, cysteine, histidine, or a combination thereof.
- 65. The sensor of claim 62, wherein the sensor further comprises an overlayer.
- 66. The sensor of claim 65, which (1) the compound is an amino acid, and the amino acid comprises glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, cysteine, histidine, or a combination thereof, and (2) the overlayer is poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate).
- 67. The sensor of claim 65, wherein (1) the compound is a short peptide, and the short peptide comprises the repeat units of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, cysteine, histidine, or a combination thereof, and (2) the overlayer is poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate).
Government Interests
[0001] This invention was made with government support under grants awarded by the Department of Energy (grant nos. DE-FC36-94GO10005 and DE-FC07-95-ID13352). The government may have certain rights in the invention.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09183517 |
Oct 1998 |
US |
Child |
09961056 |
Sep 2001 |
US |