Patterning Vapor Deposited Polymers onto Porous Microfluidic Devices using Transition Metal Salts

这项拨款为开发一种环境友好的气相图图化方法提供资金，用于修改三维多孔材料的界面表面特性。金属盐抑制剂将用于控制聚合物生长的位置。通过研究与底物温度、前驱体流速和沉积时间的抑制过程相关的动力学，将研究抑制过程背后的基本机制和图像化方法的普遍性。前驱体和抑制盐之间的化学相互作用将通过检查改变引发剂和聚合过程中涉及的单体分子的影响来研究。通过多孔材料的深度，将研究抑制的均匀性作为孔径和平均自由程的函数。如果成功，这项研究的结果将允许生产下一代点护理纸质诊断设备。在诸如个人家庭和发展中经济体等资源有限的环境中，开发可靠的纸质诊断设备对于监测与健康有关的问题非常重要。这项工作将允许这些设备与广泛的响应性和功能性聚合物进行图案化，这将大大提高其当前的分析能力。该项目将用于指导和培训洛杉矶市中心代表性不足的高中生和中学生。PI和PI的学生将与南加州大学的MESA（数学、工程、科学成就）项目合作。MESA项目为洛杉矶市中心23所学校的1000多名弱势中学生和高中生提供服务。

This grant provides funding to develop an environmentally benign vapor-phase patterning method for modifying the interfacial surface properties of three-dimensional porous materials. Metal salt inhibitors will be used to control the location of polymer growth. The fundamental mechanism behind the inhibition process and the generality of the patterning method will be studied by investigating the kinetics associated with the inhibition process as a function of substrate temperature, the flow rate of the precursors, and the time of deposition. The chemical interaction between the precursors and the inhibiting salts will be studied by examining the effects of changing the initiator and monomer molecules involved in the polymerization process. The uniformity of the inhibition through the depth of the porous materials will be studied as a function of the pore size and the mean free path. If successful, the results of this research will allow for the production of next-generation point-of-care paper-based diagnostic devices. The development of robust paper-based diagnostic devices is important for monitoring health-related issues in resource-limited environments such as personal homes and developing economies. This work will allow these devices to be patterned with a wide range of responsive and functional polymers that will greatly enhance their current analytical capabilities. This project will be used to mentor and train underrepresented high school and middle school students in downtown Los Angeles. The PI and the PI's students will work in collaboration with USC's MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) program. The MESA program serves more than 1000 disadvantaged middle school and high school students in 23 schools in downtown Los Angeles.