Anti-degradation mechanicisms for protecting aminated surfaces

• US 20050281723A1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Lacarriere, Valerie, Carre, Alain R.E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,198,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 423/220
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/041 Oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/06 comprising oxides or hydroxides of metals not provided for in group B01J20/04
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00497 Features relating to the solid phase supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00527 Sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00576 fluorophore
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00612 the surface being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00637 by coating it with another layer
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00639 the compounds being trapped in or bound to a porous medium
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00693 Means for quality control
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00725 Peptides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/42 Materials comprising a mixture of inorganic materials materials coated or impregnated on a carrier B01J20/32
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/266 for absorbing gases, e.g. oxygen absorbers or desiccants B65D51/244, B65D51/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2

Abstract

A device and methods for either protecting or restoring the delicate surface chemistry of amine-coated substrates adapted for biological assay uses from the deleterious effects of exposure to carbon dioxide and/or organic chemical compounds, which may arise in packaging or storage containers is provided. The device encompasses an enclosure, preferably hermetically sealed, a component susceptible to degradation from either carbon dioxide or organic compounds, and a sorbent, having a composition made from either a single material or a combination of materials, said material is characterized as being reactive with CO₂ and having a high-surface energy of ≧100 milli-joules/m² for removing organic compounds. The method can stabilize the surface chemistry and prolong the useful life of the coated substrate.

Claims

1. A method of protecting an amine-coated substrate surface, the method comprising:

providing an amine-coated substrate;

providing a container for housing said amine-coated substrate;

providing a sorbent, having a composition made from either a single material or a combination of materials, said material characterized as being reactive with CO₂ and having a high-surface energy of ≧

100 milli-joules/m² for removing organic compounds from within said container; and

exposing said amine-coated substrate and an atmosphere within said container to said sorbent.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a water contact angle ≦

40 degrees relative to the substrate surface to preserve hydrophilicity of said substrate surface.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

maintaining a water contact angle ≦

35 degrees relative to the substrate surface to preserve hydrophilicity of said substrate surface.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said amine-coated substrate exhibits a stable and low auto-fluorescence of ≦

150 RFU in Cy5 wavelength channel at about 600-750 PMT over a time period of least 3 months.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said sorbent has a high-surface energy of ≧

50 milli-joules/m² to absorb volatile organic compounds.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said sorbent material includes any one or a combination of:

CaO, MgO, or ZnO.

7. A method of removing CO₂ or organic contaminants from a package containing an amine-coated substrate, the method comprises:

providing a carbonated substrate and either a sorbent material that is reactive with CO₂ and having a high-surface energy of ≧

100 milli-joules/m² for removing organic compounds, or a solution of either calcium, magnesium, or zinc hydroxide, (Ca(OH)₂, Mg(OH)₂, Zn(OH)₂), with a pH value ≧

8, or a combination of said hydroxides;

exposing a surface of said carbonated substrate to either said sorbent material or said hydroxide solution, or both, wherein either said solid sorbent or said solution of either Ca(OH)₂, Mg(OH)₂, or Zn(OH)₂, or said combination regenerates free amine functionality on said surface.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said carbonated substrate surface is exposed to said solution of either Ca(OH)₂, Mg(OH)₂, or Zn(OH)₂, or said combination for a period of within one hour.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said substrate surface is exposed to said solution for a period of under about forty (40) minutes.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein said substrate surface is exposed to said solution for a period of not less than about ten (10) minutes.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein said solution of hydroxide displaces a carbamic or carbonic acid group.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein said carbonated substrate is dipped in said hydroxide solution.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein said method regenerates on said substrate surface a water contact angle θ

of about 50°

or less.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein said solution has a pH value of at least 10.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said solution has a pH value of about 11-14.

16. A method of providing a virtually CO₂-free atmosphere in a package adapted for an amine-coated substrate, the method comprises:

a) providing a substrate with an amine-coated surface;

b) providing an enclosure;

c) providing a chemisorbent material having a composition made from either a single-material or a combination of materials, said material being reactive with CO₂ and having a high-surface energy of ≧

100 milli-joules/m² for removing organic compounds from within said enclosure;

d) enclosing said substrate and said chemisorbent material within said enclosure; and

e) removing CO₂ and other contaminant components or vapors from said package.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said chemisorbent material includes any one or a combination of:

CaO, MgO, or ZnO.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein said chemisorbent material is placed within either a filter bag or a kind of receptacle that permits to flow through.

19. A device comprising an enclosure, a component susceptible to degradation from either carbon dioxide or organic compounds, and a sorbent, having a composition made from either a single material or a combination of materials, said material is characterized as being reactive with CO₂ and having a high-surface energy of ≧

100 milli-joules/m² for removing organic compounds from within said enclosure.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein said sorbent material is adapted to absorb residue CO₂ in hermetic packages to levels below 1 part per billion (ppb), over a temperature range from about −

40°

C., through ambient room temperature, to about 500°

C.

21. An object for containing an amine-coated inorganic substrate, the device comprising:

a) a hermetically sealable container, and

b) a sorbent for removing trace amounts of carbon dioxide and organic compounds from within said container, wherein the sorbent includes any one or a combination of CaO, MgO, or ZnO.

22. The package according to claim 21, wherein said sorbent is either in a filter bag or a kind of receptacle that permits air to flow through.

23. A hermetically sealed transport and storage package comprising:

a sealed enclosure in which there is an atmosphere and a component adapted for performing a biological or biochemical assay, said component characterized as being adversely affected by the presence of gaseous CO₂, organic components, or other impurities in said atmosphere; and

a chemisorbent material having a composition made from either a single material or a combination of materials, said material being reactive with CO₂ and having a high-surface energy of ≧

100 milli-joules/m² for removing organic compounds from within said enclosure

24. The package according to claim 23, wherein said getter material can absorb residue CO₂ in hermetic packages to levels below 1 part per billion (ppb), over a temperature range from about −

40°

C., through ambient room temperature, to about 500°

C.