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

这笔赠款提供资金，用于开发一种环境友好的气相图案化方法，用于改变三维多孔材料的界面表面属性。金属盐抑制剂将被用来控制聚合物生长的位置。抑制过程背后的基本机制和图案化方法的一般性将通过研究与抑制过程相关的动力学作为衬底温度、前驱体的流速和沉积时间的函数来研究。通过改变聚合过程中所涉及的引发剂和单体分子的影响来研究前体和抑制盐之间的化学相互作用。通过多孔材料深度的抑制的均匀性将作为孔大小和平均自由程的函数来研究。如果成功，这项研究的结果将允许生产下一代基于纸张的护理点诊断设备。在个人住宅和发展中经济体等资源有限的环境中，开发强大的纸基诊断设备对于监测与健康有关的问题非常重要。这项工作将使这些设备能够在各种响应性和功能性聚合物上形成图案，从而极大地增强其当前的分析能力。该项目将用于指导和培训洛杉矶市中心未被充分代表的高中生和中学生。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计划服务于洛杉矶市中心23所学校的1000多名贫困初中生和高中生。

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.