Block copolymer-enabled mesopore sensing

嵌段共聚物中孔传感

• 批准号: EP/R035105/1
• 负责人: Stefan Guldin
• 金额: $ 59.09万
• 依托单位: University College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2018 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FR035105%2F1
• 关键词: Block; copolymer; enabled; mesopore; sensing

Material architectures with pores on the 5 - 50 nm length scale offer distinct opportunities for chemo- and biosensing applications. Capillary condensation, i.e. the filling of pores with condensed liquid from the vapour phase, is highly dependent on the pore size and relative humidity. Efficient trapping of target analytes relates to a combination of adequate surface interaction and control over spatial confinement. The aim of this research proposal is to build porous materials with unprecedented functioning in humidity and biomedical sensing through the structural control offered by the use of block copolymer (BCP) co-assembly. BCPs are macromolecules that are composed of chemically dissimilar building blocks, which are linked by covalent bonds. Solvent evaporation leads to phase separation into nanoscale morphologies, which can be controlled by the molecular design of the BCPs. In a co-assembly approach, BCPs are used as sacrificial host to structure direct inorganic guest material. After structure formation, the organic material is removed to reveal a porous inorganic network. Conceptually, this approach allows to systematically vary and control key parameters of porous thin films, such as porosity, pore size and dispersity as well as the pore architecture, by modifications to the molecular building blocks and processing conditions. In the course of the proposed study, parameters that govern the pore size and dispersity will be elucidated and general effectiveness of BCP-derived porous materials evaluated on two different sensing platforms, namely humidity and biomedical sensing. In humidity sensing, the fabrication of transparent material architectures will be pursued that allow accurate determination over the full humidity range via capacitative means, offering an integrated route to responsive glazing components for automotive and building applications. Findings will be implemented in a windscreen prototype with responsive anti-fogging control. In the light of the gradual extinction of the internal combustion engine towards electrified mobility where heat is no longer abundant and thus a significant burden to the energy consumption, such technology will offer widespread impact. For biomedical sensing, the trapping of target analytes in porous networks will be studied for a number of candidates whose quantification is important in therapy, e.g. viruses, therapeutic antibodies, exosomes or microRNA. Applicability of effective trapping and the envisioned superior pore size control will be implemented in novel types of biosensors that allow detection by changes in electrochemical currents associated to a blockage of the pores. Successful proof-of-principle will stimulate the development of low-cost handheld diagnostic devices in point-of-care applications to improve therapeutic outcomes at minimal side-effects.

具有 5 - 50 nm 长度尺度孔隙的材料结构为化学和生物传感应用提供了独特的机会。毛细管冷凝，即用气相冷凝液体填充孔隙，高度依赖于孔径和相对湿度。目标分析物的有效捕获涉及充分的表面相互作用和对空间限制的控制的结合。该研究计划的目的是通过使用嵌段共聚物（BCP）共组装提供的结构控制来构建在湿度和生物医学传感方面具有前所未有的功能的多孔材料。 BCP 是由化学性质不同的结构单元组成的大分子，这些结构单元通过共价键连接。溶剂蒸发导致相分离成纳米级形态，这可以通过 BCP 的分子设计来控制。在共组装方法中，BCP 被用作牺牲主体来构造直接无机客体材料。结构形成后，除去有机材料，露出多孔无机网络。从概念上讲，这种方法可以通过修改分子构建块和加工条件来系统地改变和控制多孔薄膜的关键参数，例如孔隙率、孔径和分散性以及孔隙结构。在拟议的研究过程中，将阐明控制孔径和分散性的参数，并在两个不同的传感平台（即湿度和生物医学传感）上评估 BCP 衍生多孔材料的总体有效性。在湿度传感领域，将追求透明材料结构的制造，通过电容方式准确测定整个湿度范围，为汽车和建筑应用的响应式玻璃组件提供集成途径。研究结果将应用于具有响应式防雾控制的挡风玻璃原型中。鉴于内燃机逐渐走向电动化，热量不再充足，从而给能源消耗带来重大负担，此类技术将产生广泛的影响。对于生物医学传感，将研究多孔网络中目标分析物的捕获，以研究其量化在治疗中很重要的许多候选物，例如病毒、治疗性抗体、外泌体或 microRNA。有效捕获的适用性和预期的卓越孔径控制将在新型生物传感器中实现，这些生物传感器允许通过与孔堵塞相关的电化学电流的变化进行检测。成功的原理验证将刺激低成本手持式诊断设备在护理点应用中的开发，以最小的副作用改善治疗结果。

项目成果

Solvent Vapor Annealing for Controlled Pore Expansion of Block Copolymer-Assembled Inorganic Mesoporous Films.

溶剂蒸气退火，用于控制块共聚物组合的无机介孔膜的孔扩展。

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c00074
• 发表时间: 2022-03-15
• 期刊: LANGMUIR
• 影响因子: 3.9
• 作者: Alvarez-Fernandez, Alberto;Fornerod, Maximiliano Jara;Reid, Barry;Guldin, Stefan
• 通讯作者: Guldin, Stefan

Fractionation of block copolymers for pore size control and reduced dispersity in mesoporous inorganic thin films

• DOI: 10.1039/d0nr05132b
• 发表时间: 2020-09-21
• 期刊: NANOSCALE
• 影响因子: 6.7
• 作者: Alvarez-Fernandez, Alberto;Reid, Barry;Guldin, Stefan
• 通讯作者: Guldin, Stefan

Internal wettability investigation of mesoporous silica materials by ellipsometric porosimetry

• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2023.139683
• 发表时间: 2023-01-22
• 期刊: THIN SOLID FILMS
• 影响因子: 2.1
• 作者: Furedi, Mate;Fodor, Balint;Basa, Peter
• 通讯作者: Basa, Peter

Solvent vapor annealing for controlled pore expansion of block copolymer-assembled inorganic mesoporous films

溶剂蒸气退火控制嵌段共聚物组装无机介孔薄膜的孔径扩张

• DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2021-8v9t7
• 发表时间: 2021
• 作者: Alvarez-Fernandez A