Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090324446 | APPARATUS FOR SENSING NITROAROMATICS - The subject invention pertains to a method and apparatus for sensing nitroaromatics. The subject invention can utilize luminescent, for example fluorescent and/or electroluminescent, aryl substituted polyacetylenes and/or other substituted polyacetylenes which are luminescent for sensing nitroaromatics. In a specific embodiment, the subject invention can utilize thin films of fluorescent and/or electroluminescent aryl substituted polyacetylenes and/or other substituted polyacetylenes which are fluorescent and/or electroluminescent. In a specific embodiment, the fluorescence from thin films of fluorescent, substituted polyacetylene, such as—poly-[1-phenyl-2-(4-trimethylsilylphenyl)ethyne] (PTMSDPA) is strongly quenched by the vapors of a variety of nitroaromatic compounds present at levels ranging from parts-per-million to parts-per-billion in air. | 12-31-2009 |
20110023934 | SOLARTURF: SOLAR ENERGY HARVESTING ARTIFICIAL TURF - A SolarTurf unit has a plurality of solar blades, each blade comprising a donor-acceptor conjugated polymer (DA-CP) disposed between and electrically contacting a working electrode and a counter electrode where at least one of electrodes is transparent and where the plurality of solar blades have like or different DA-CPs having like color or different colors, for example, green. The SolarTurf unit includes an interconnect strip having a first electrically conductive surface and a second electrically conductive surface separated by an insulator. The working electrodes are electrically connected to the first electrically conductive surface and the counter electrodes are electrically connected to the second electrically conductive surface. The SolarTurf units can be combined into a device for harvesting light energy to provide an electric output. The SolarTurf device can have the appearance of a lawn or other plant, fungi, rock, sand or animal. | 02-03-2011 |
20110159605 | Surface Grafted Conjugated Polymers - A surface grafted conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) is formed by coupling a CPE by a coupling moiety to the surface of a substrate. The substrate can be of any shape and size, and for many uses of the surface grafted CPE, it is advantageous that the substrate is a nanoparticle or microparticle. Surface grafted CPEs are presented that use silica particles as the substrate, where a modified silane coupling agent connects the surface to the CPE by a series of covalent bonds. Two methods of preparing the surface grafted CPEs are presented. One method involves the inclusion of the surface being modified by the coupling agent and condensed with monomers that form the CPE in a grafted state to the substrate. A second method involves the formation of a CPE with terminal groups that are complimentary to functionality that has been placed on the surface of the substrate by reaction with a coupling agent. The surface grafted CPEs are also described for use as biosensors and biocides. | 06-30-2011 |
20110293470 | CONJUGATED POLYELECTROLYTE CAPSULES: LIGHT ACTIVATED ANTIMICROBIALS - Hollow conjugated polyelectrolyte (HCPE) microcapsules contain at least one conjugated polyelectrolyte and at least one other polyelectrolyte of complementary charge and the microcapsule has a hollow core. The conjugated polyelectrolyte is a polymer with a multiplicity of charged repeating units where a portion of the charged repeating units form a pi-conjugated sequence. The complementary polyelectrolyte is a polymer with a complementary charged repeating unit to the charged repeating units of the conjugated polyelectrolyte. The HCPE microcapsules can be formed by successively coating a sacrificial core with alternating layers of complementary polyelectrolytes, at least one of which is a conjugated polyelectrolyte. The sacrificial core can be removed to form the hollow center of a HCPE microcapsule. The HCPE microcapsules can be contacted with a medium containing microbes where the HCPE microcapsules associate with the microbes and efficiently kill the microbes when irradiated with light or other electromagnetic radiation. | 12-01-2011 |
20120271023 | MATERIALS INCORPORATING ANTIMICROBIAL POLYMERS - The present disclosure describes the manufacture and use of soft surfaces such as fabrics bearing surface-grafted antimicrobial polymers. | 10-25-2012 |
20130273800 | STRUCTURE, SYNTHESIS, AND APPLICATIONS FOR OLIGO PHENYLENE ETHYNYLENES (OPEs) - The present disclosure provides novel oligo phenylene ethynylene (OPE) compounds, methods for synthesizing these compounds, and materials and substances incorporating these compounds. The various OPEs show antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal activity. | 10-17-2013 |
20140086795 | CONJUGATED POLYELECTROLYTE CAPSULES: LIGHT ACTIVATED ANTIMICROBIALS - Hollow conjugated polyelectrolyte (HCPE) microcapsules contain at least one conjugated polyelectrolyte and at least one other polyelectrolyte of complementary charge and the microcapsule has a hollow core. The conjugated polyelectrolyte is a polymer with a multiplicity of charged repeating units where a portion of the charged repeating units form a pi-conjugated sequence. The complementary polyelectrolyte is a polymer with a complementary charged repeating unit to the charged repeating units of the conjugated polyelectrolyte. The HCPE microcapsules can be formed by successively coating a sacrificial core with alternating layers of complementary polyelectrolytes, at least one of which is a conjugated polyelectrolyte. The sacrificial core can be removed to form the hollow center of a HCPE microcapsule. The HCPE microcapsules can be contacted with a medium containing microbes where the HCPE microcapsules associate with the microbes and efficiently kill the microbes when irradiated with light or other electromagnetic radiation. | 03-27-2014 |
20140242148 | ANTIMICROBIAL MATERIALS AND METHODS - The invention provides methods and materials for decontamination of surfaces and fabrics, such as non-woven fabrics, that are contaminated with infestations of microorganisms such as bacteria. Biocidal oligomers having conjugated oligo-(aryl/heteroaryl ethynyl) structures and comprising at least one cationic group can be used to decontaminate infested surfaces in the presence of oxygen and, optionally, illumination. Fibers incorporating biocidal oligomers having conjugated oligo-(aryl/heteroaryl ethynyl) structures and comprising at least one cationic group, wherein the oligomer is physically associated with or covalently bonded to, or both, the fiber-forming polymer can be used to form non-woven mats. Biocidal non-woven mats prepared by methods of the invention, incorporating the biocidal oligomers, can be used to suppress bacterial growth in wound and surgical dressings and personal hygiene products. | 08-28-2014 |
20140341776 | THIOPHENE BASED OLIGOMERS AS LIGHT ACTIVATED BIOCIDES - Thiophene containing water-soluble oligomers were synthesized and characterized. The photophysical properties of these compounds were studied; transient absorption spectroscopy was used to probe the triplet excited state and their ability to sensitize singlet oxygen was spectroscopically monitored in deuterated methanol. The above compounds were tested for their light activated biocidal properties against | 11-20-2014 |