Method for making fluorescent polymers

• US 5,700,897 A
• Filed: 05/30/1995
• Issued: 12/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Optical Sensors Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Optical Sensors Incorporated
• Inventors: Klainer, Stanley M., Gottlieb, Amos J., Walt, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Glass, Margaret W.
• Application Number:
  US08/453,442
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 528/31, 528/15, 528/26, 528/25, 528/27, 528/43
• US Class Current: 528/15
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/06 containing organic luminescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6432 Quenching
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6484 Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/772 Tip coated light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/7703 using reagent-clad optical fibres or optical waveguides using measurement of total internal reflection or attenuated total reflection G01N21/552; optical fibres or waveguides per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/81 Indicating humidity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/552 Glass or silica
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31645 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

A fiber optic sensing device for measuring a chemical or physiological parameter of a body fluid or tissue is provided. To one end of the fiber is attached a polymer including a plurality of photoactive moieties selected from the group consisting of chromophores and lumophores, the photoactive moieties spaced apart so as to minimize chemical or physical interaction therebetween while optimizing the density of photoactive moieties. In one embodiment, a polymer chain is covalently bound to photoactive moieties through functional groups such as esters, amides, or the like. In a second embodiment, a polymer chain is inherently fluorescent and is formed from at least one monomeric unit. These devices are particularly useful as pH and oxygen sensors.

Claims

1. A method for preparing an inherently fluorescent polymeric composition, comprising providing a polymerizable species which when polymerized yields a polymer consisting of siloxane monomer units, and reacting therewith a fluorescent moiety comprising a polynuclear aromatic compound functionalized so as to contain two reactive sites, wherein the polynuclear aromatic compound is selected from the group consisting of perylene, pyrene, fluorescein, and derivatives thereof, thereby providing a polymer which is cross-linked with the fluorescent moiety or contains the fluorescent moiety as a monomer unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reacting comprises cross-linking.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reacting comprises copolymerization.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluorescent moiety is selected from the group consisting of perylene, pyrene and fluorescein.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the polysiloxane is selected from the group consisting of polydimethylsiloxane and polymethylphenyl siloxane.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the fluorescent moiety is perylene.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the fluorescent moiety is pyrene.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the fluorescent moiety is fluorescein.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the fluorescent moiety is selected from the group consisting of perylene, pyrene and fluorescein.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the fluorescent moiety is perylene.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the fluorescent moiety is pyrene.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the fluorescent moiety is fluorescein.

13. A method for preparing an inherently fluorescent polymeric composition, comprising admixing perylene-3,9-dicarboxylic acid diallyl ester, with methylhydrodimethyl siloxane copolymer, in the presence of a platinum catalyst, under conditions effective to promote polymerization.

14. A method for preparing a cross-linked, inherently fluorescent polymeric composition, comprising providing a polymerizable species which when polymerized yields a polysiloxane, and reacting therewith a fluorescent moiety comprising a polynuclear aromatic compound functionalized so as to contain two reactive sites, thereby providing a polymer cross-linked with a fluorescent linking moiety having the structure ##STR18##

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the polysiloxane is selected from the group consisting of polydimethylsiloxane and polymethylphenyl siloxane.