Use of templated polymers for analyte-activated microelectronic switching devices

• US 5,244,562 A
• Filed: 07/31/1991
• Issued: 09/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, Dale D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bell, Bruce F.
• Application Number:
  US07/738,719
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 204/416, 204/418, 204/403, 435/817
• US Class Current: 204/403.06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 61/123 derived from five-membered heterocyclic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2600/00 Assays involving molecular imprinted polymers/polymers created around a molecular template
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/817 Enzyme or microbe electrode

Abstract

Switching devices (10) comprise a micro-electrode (12 or 16a'"'"') coated with a templated polymer (14). For example, the template molecule is glucose and the bulk polymer is a thiophene/boronic acid-substituted thiophene copolymer. The switch is activated or inactivated by the concentration of glucose in a solution (38) contacting the coated micro-electrode. Advantageously, the dimensions of the switch may be very small, 10^-6 or less.

Claims

1. A switching device having a preset open circuit condition for a given analyte concentration, comprising a micro-electrode coated with a polymer contacted by a conductive lead, said polymer having templated sites for accepting analyte molecules, each templated site comprising a vacancy in said polymer that is selective for said analyte molecule.

2. The switching device of claim 1 wherein said analyte is selected from the group consisting of cis-2-diols and cis-3-diols.

3. The switching device of claim 2, wherein said analyte comprises glucose.

4. The switching device of claim 1 wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of thiophene/boronic acid-substituted thiophene copolymer;

aniline/boronic acid-substituted aniline copolymer;

pyrrole/boronic acid-substituted pyrrole copolymer;

acetylene/boronic acid-substituted acetylene copolymer;

carbonate/boronic acid-substituted carbonate copolymer;

boronic acid-substituted silicon-based polymers, and copolymers thereof.

5. The switching device of claim 1 wherein said analyte consists essentially of glucose and said polymer consists essentially of thiophene/boronic acid-substituted thiophene copolymer.

6. A switching device having a preset open circuit condition for a given glucose concentration, comprising a micro-electrode coated with thiophene/boronic acid-substituted thiophene copolymer contacted by conductive leads, said copolymer having templated sites for accepting glucose molecules.