Spectrofluorometer for Advanced Materials Characterization and Sensor Development

许多分子的化学性质使它们能够从光中吸收能量，并在此过程中转化为激发态。处于激发态的分子以光或热的形式释放激发能。所请求的荧光分光光度计能够测量物质的光物理性质，包括激发分子所需的能量、激发态的类型、分子保持在其激发态的寿命或时间、发射光的能量或颜色以及吸收的能量转化为发射光的效率。测量这些参数的能力使研究人员能够调整材料的结构，以优化太阳能电池，发光二极管（LED），晶体管，染料和光学传感器等器件的性能，这些器件应用于生物成像，诊断以及包括环境污染物在内的分析物的灵敏和特异性检测等。生物材料和生物化学研究，在过去三年中获得了超过210万美元的资金（DG，RTI，Engage，CRC，CFI/ORF）。然而，他们的短期研究进展和他们的研究计划的长期影响都受到了严重的阻碍，因为缺乏一种能够对固体、薄膜、凝胶和溶液进行高灵敏度的寿命和稳态荧光测量的最先进的荧光分光光度计。 所要求的仪器是对先进材料设计和表征工具套件的重要补充。该大学最近通过一座新的研究大楼展示了对先进材料研究的坚定承诺（埃塞克斯CORe），战略性地填补了化学和生物化学领域的四个新职位，并配备了软材料研究人员（Trant，马夸特，Rondeau-Gagné和Tong），以补充Loeb，罗森，Eichhorn，Schurko和卡迈克尔以及跨学科研究所（WINRAM）的成立。该大学对用户组和先进材料研究的坚定承诺继续提供额外的29 615美元，以补充本提案所需的资金。所要求的荧光分光光度计将支持8组（5名申请人和3名经常使用者）的研究计划，包括3个部门的1级CRC，并帮助培训许多HQP掌握基本的分子表征技术。在所要求的仪器帮助下取得的研究成果包括：用于工业催化的无机和有机染料;响应光而移动的分子机器;用于显示器的发光纳米颗粒;细胞膜结构的动态监测;药物和成像剂输送材料的开发;细胞中酶的实时监测;以及环境污染物的检测。

The chemical properties of many molecules enable them to absorb energy from light, and in the process, be converted to an excited state. The molecules in their excited states release their excitation energy in the form of light or heat. The requested spectrofluorometer, enables the measurement of the photophysical properties of matter, including, amount of energy required to excite the molecule, the type of excitation state, the lifetime or how long the molecule remains in its excited state(s), the energy or colour of the emitted light, and how efficiently the absorbed energy is converted to the emitted light. The ability to measure these parameters enables researchers to tune the structure of materials to optimize the performance of devices like solar cells, light emitting diodes (LED), transistors, dyes and optical sensors with applications in bioimaging, diagnostics and the sensitive and specific detection of analytes including environmental contaminants, etc. The spectrofluorometer is requested by a group of NSERC-funded researchers, engaged in materials, biomaterials, and biochemistry research, with a total of over $2.1M in funding (DG, RTI, Engage, CRC, CFI/ORF) in the past three years. However, both their short-term research progress and the longer-term impact of their research programs is severely hampered by the lack of a state-of-the-art spectrofluorometer capable of lifetime and steady state fluorescence measurements of solids, films, gels and solutions, with high sensitivity. The requested instrument is an essential addition to the suite of tools for the design and characterization of advanced materials. The University has recently demonstrated strong commitment to Advanced Materials Research with a new research building (Essex CORe), the strategic filling of four new positions in Chemistry & Biochemistry with soft materials researchers (Trant, Marquardt, Rondeau-Gagné and Tong) to complement existing strengths in Materials science led by Loeb, Rawson, Eichhorn, Schurko and Carmichael and the founding of a cross disciplinary research institute (WINRAM). The University's strong commitment to the User Group and to Advanced Materials Research continues with the provision of an additional $29,615 to supplement the requested funding for this proposal. The requested spectrofluorometer will support research programs of 8 groups (5-applicants and 3-frequent users) including a Tier 1 CRC, across 3 Departments and aid in the training of many HQP in an essential molecular characterization technique. The research outcomes aided by the requested instrument include, inorganic and organic dyes for industrial catalysis; molecular machines that move in response to light; light emitting nanoparticles for displays; dynamic monitoring of cellular membrane architecture; development of materials for delivery of drugs and imaging agents; live monitoring of enzymes in cells; and the detection of environmental contaminants.