Authentication of products using molecularly imprinted polymers
First Claim
1. A method for identifying a product comprising:
- a) providing a solid body fabricated from at least a molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind molecules having a specific taggant molecular structure, said molecular sized cavities being disposed on at least a portion of an exterior surface of the body; and
,b) applying to the surface of the body a composition containing indicator molecules having a taggant moiety at one end having the taggant molecular structure and a marking functional group tethered to the taggant moiety by a molecular chain, said taggant moieties engaging and binding to the molecular sized cavities so as to mark the portion of the surface of the body with the indicator molecules bound thereto, said marking functional groups rendering the marked portion of the surface perceptible with or without detection instrumentation;
wherein the molecularly imprinted polymer is made in accordance with the steps of;
(a) providing a complex comprising a compound of the general formula L3M wherein L is the same or different and is a β
-diketone ligand containing the same or different chain transfer moiety and M is a lanthanide element;
(b) reacting the complex with a target analyte to provide an adduct containing the target analyte;
(c) co-polymerizing the adduct with a monomer and cross-linking agent to provide a polymer; and
,(d) removing the target analyte from the polymer to provide the molecularly imprinted polymer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for identifying a product includes providing a solid body (10) fabricated from at least a molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities (12) adapted to selectively receive and bind molecules (50) having a specific taggant molecular structure (51), the molecular sized cavities (12) disposed on a portion of an exterior surface (11) of the body (10), and applying to the surface of the body a composition containing indicator molecules (50) having a taggant moiety (51) at one end and a marking function group (53) tethered to the taggant moiety (51) by a molecular chain the taggant moieties (51) engaging and binding to the molecular sized cavities (12) so as to mark the portion of the surface (11) of the body (10) with the indicator molecules (50) bound thereto, the marking functional groups (53) rendering the marked portion of the surface (11) perceptible with or without detection instrumentation.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for identifying a product comprising:
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a) providing a solid body fabricated from at least a molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind molecules having a specific taggant molecular structure, said molecular sized cavities being disposed on at least a portion of an exterior surface of the body; and
,b) applying to the surface of the body a composition containing indicator molecules having a taggant moiety at one end having the taggant molecular structure and a marking functional group tethered to the taggant moiety by a molecular chain, said taggant moieties engaging and binding to the molecular sized cavities so as to mark the portion of the surface of the body with the indicator molecules bound thereto, said marking functional groups rendering the marked portion of the surface perceptible with or without detection instrumentation; wherein the molecularly imprinted polymer is made in accordance with the steps of; (a) providing a complex comprising a compound of the general formula L3M wherein L is the same or different and is a β
-diketone ligand containing the same or different chain transfer moiety and M is a lanthanide element;(b) reacting the complex with a target analyte to provide an adduct containing the target analyte; (c) co-polymerizing the adduct with a monomer and cross-linking agent to provide a polymer; and
,(d) removing the target analyte from the polymer to provide the molecularly imprinted polymer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
wherein R1 is a hydrocarbon group having 1 to about 20 carbons containing a chain transfer moiety;
R2 can be the same or different and is hydrogen or a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms and R3 is a straight or branched chain alkyl group of 1 to about 12 carbon atoms optionally containing one or more halogen atoms.
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5. The method of claim 4, wherein R3 is an alkyl halide.
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6. The method of claim 5, wherein the alkyl halide is —
- CF3.
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7. A method for identifying a product comprising:
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a) providing a solid body fabricated from at least a molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind molecules having a specific taggant molecular structure, said molecular sized cavities being disposed on at least a portion of an exterior surface of the body; and
,b) applying to the surface of the body a composition containing indicator molecules having a taggant moiety at one end having the taggant molecular structure and a marking functional group tethered to the taggant moiety by a molecular chain, said taggant moieties engaging and binding to the molecular sized cavities so as to mark the portion of the surface of the body with the indicator molecules bound thereto, said marking functional groups rendering the marked portion of the surface perceptible with or without detection instrumentation; wherein the chain transfer moiety is selected from the group consisting of dithiocarboxylic ester, trithiocarbonate and benzyl iodide. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method for identifying a product comprising:
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a) providing a solid body fabricated from at least a molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind molecules having a specific taggant molecular structure, said molecular sized cavities being disposed on at least a portion of an exterior surface of the body; and
,b) applying to the surface of the body a composition containing indicator molecules having a taggant moiety at one end having the taggant molecular structure and a marking functional group tethered to the taggant moiety by a molecular chain, said taggant moieties engaging and binding to the molecular sized cavities so as to mark the portion of the surface of the body with the indicator molecules bound thereto, said marking functional groups rendering the marked portion of the surface perceptible with or without detection instrumentation; wherein the molecular sized cavities are provided on selected portion(s) of the exterior surface of the body in accordance with the following steps; providing a solid body fabricated from molecularly imprinted polymer having taggant molecules complexed therein; covering predetermined areas(s) of the surface of the body with a mask to provide unmasked portion(s) of selected size and configuration; removing the taggant molecules from the selected unmasked portion(s); and
,removing the mask from the surface of the body. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A product identification system comprising:
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a) a package body fabricated from at least a molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind molecules having a specific taggant molecular structure, said molecular sized cavities being disposed on selected portions of an exterior surface of the body, said selected portions being configured in the form of information conveying indicia; and
,b) a developing composition for developing the selected portions as an image, said developing composition including indicator molecules having a taggant moiety at one end having the taggant molecular structure and a marking functional group tethered to the taggant moiety by a molecular chain, said taggant moieties engaging and binding to the molecular sized cavities so as to mark the portion of the surface of the body with the indicator molecules bound thereto, said marking functional groups rendering the marked portion of the surface perceptible with or without detection instrumentation; wherein the molecular sized cavities are provided on selected portion(s) of the exterior surface of the body in accordance with the following steps; providing a solid body fabricated from molecularly imprinted polymer having taggant molecules complexed therein; covering predetermined areas(s) of the surface of the body with a mask to provide unmasked portion(s) of selected size and configuration; removing the taggant molecules from the selected unmasked portion(s); and removing the mask from the surface of the body. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A product identification system comprising:
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a) a package body fabricated from at least a molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind molecules having a specific taggant molecular structure, said molecular sized cavities being disposed on selected portions of an exterior surface of the body, said selected portions being configured in the form of information conveying indicia; and
,b) a developing composition for developing the selected portions as an image, said developing composition including indicator molecules having a taggant moiety at one end having the taggant molecular structure and a marking functional group tethered to the taggant moiety by a molecular chain, said taggant moieties engaging and binding to the molecular sized cavities so as to mark the portion of the surface of the body with the indicator molecules bound thereto, said marking functional groups rendering the marked portion of the surface perceptible with or without detection instrumentation; wherein the molecularly imprinted polymer is made in accordance with the steps of (a) providing a complex comprising a compound of the general formula L3M wherein L is the same or different and is a β
-diketone ligand containing the same or different chain transfer moiety and M is a lanthanide element;(b) reacting the complex with a target analyte to provide an adduct containing the target analyte; (c) co-polymerizing the adduct with a monomer and cross-linking agent to provide a polymer; and
,(d) removing the target analyte from the polymer to provide the molecularly imprinted polymer. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
wherein R1 is a hydrocarbon group having 1 to about 20 carbons containing a chain transfer moiety;
R2 can be the same or different and is hydrogen or a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms and R3 is a straight or branched chain alkyl group of 1 to about 12 carbon atoms optionally containing one or more halogen atoms.
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27. The system of claim 26, wherein R3 is an alkyl halide.
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28. The system of claim 27, wherein the alkyl halide is —
- CF3.
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29. The system of claim 23,
wherein the chain transfer moiety is selected from the group consisting of dithiocarboxylic ester, trithiocarbonate and benzyl iodide. -
30. The system of claim 29, wherein the dithiocarboxylic ester is of the general formula —
- S—
C(S)R wherein R is a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms.
- S—
Specification