Polymerized crystalline colloidal array sensors
First Claim
1. A sensor device comprising:
- a hydrogel that undergoes a volume change in response to a specific chemical stimulus; and
a light diffracting crystalline colloidal array of charged particles polymerized in said hydrogel;
said crystalline colloidal array having a lattice spacing that changes when said volume of said hydrogel changes, thereby causing the diffracted wavelength of the crystalline colloidal array to change.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Novel sensor devices composed of a crystalline colloidal array (CCA) polymerized in a hydrogel are disclosed. The hydrogels are characterized as being capable of shrinking and swelling in response to specific stimuli applied thereto. As the hydrogels shrink or swell, the lattice structure of the CCA embedded therein changes, thereby changing the wavelength of light diffracted by the CCA. Thus by monitoring the change in diffracted wavelength, the concentration of a stimulus is determined. The gels can be modified to sense numerous different stimuli. The sensor devices are specific in that they are modified to react with only one species or family of species. These sensors have various applications in areas including, for example, environmental and chemical systems, chemomechanical systems, sensor devices and medical diagnostic tools. Various methods for making and using these devices are also disclosed.
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Citations
76 Claims
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1. A sensor device comprising:
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a hydrogel that undergoes a volume change in response to a specific chemical stimulus; and a light diffracting crystalline colloidal array of charged particles polymerized in said hydrogel; said crystalline colloidal array having a lattice spacing that changes when said volume of said hydrogel changes, thereby causing the diffracted wavelength of the crystalline colloidal array to change. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 74)
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23. A method of making a sensor device comprising:
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a) allowing charged colloidal particles to self-assemble into a crystalline colloidal array; b) adding a first comonomer that is a gel monomer, a crosslinking agent, a second comonomer capable of molecular recognition and a polymerization initiator to a medium comprising said crystalline colloidal array; and c) polymerizing the mixture of step b) to form a crystalline colloidal array embedded in a hydrogel, wherein said hydrogel undergoes a volume change in response to a chemical species. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 47, 75)
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37. A method of making a sensor device comprising:
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a) allowing charged colloidal particles to self assemble into a crystalline colloidal array; b) adding a gel monomer, a crosslinking agent and a polymerization initiator to a medium comprising said crystalline colloidal array; c) polymerizing the mixture of step b) to form a crystalline colloidal array embedded in a hydrogel; and d) adding a biomolecular recognition component to the product of step c), wherein said hydrogel undergoes a volume change in response to a chemical species. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49)
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50. A sensor device comprising:
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a first network comprising a crystalline colloidal array of charged particles polymerized in a hydrogel matrix; and a second network interpenetrating with said first network comprising a polymer to which is attached a molecular recognition monomer, wherein said sensor device undergoes a volume change in response to a specific chemical species, said crystalline colloidal array having a lattice spacing that changes when said volume of said hydrogel changes, thereby causing the diffracted wavelength of the crystalline colloidal array to change. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 76)
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60. A method of making a sensor device comprising:
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a) allowing charged particles to self assemble into a crystalline colloidal array; b) adding a first comonomer that is a gel monomer, a crosslinking agent and a polymerization initiator to said crystalline colloidal array; c) polymerizing said mixture of step b) to form a hydrogel, such that a first network comprising a crystalline colloidal array polymerized in said hydrogel is formed; d) diffusing a second comonomer having a molecular recognition monomer into said first network; and e) polymerizing the product of step d) to create a second network which is interpenetrating with said first network, wherein said sensor device undergoes a volume change in response to a specific chemical stimulus. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. A sensor device for measuring analyte concentration in the tear fluid comprising:
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a hydrogel that undergoes a volume change in response to a specific chemical stimulus; a light diffracting crystalline colloidal array of charged particles polymerized in said hydrogel, said crystalline colloidal array having a lattice spacing that changes when said volume of said hydrogel changes, thereby causing the diffracted wavelength of the crystalline colloidal array to change; and wherein said sensor device is placed on the eye.
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Specification