Abstract:
Giant magnetoresistive cobalt oxide compounds are produced by combinatorial synthesis. Combinatorial synthesis is done by using a substrate having an array of diverse materials thereon prepared by delivering components to predefined regions on a substrate and simultaneously reacting the components to form at least two materials. Other materials that can be prepared using these methods are covalent network solids, ionic solids and molecular solids. Examples are inorganic, organometallic, intermetallic, ceramic organic polymeric and composite materials. Once prepared, these materials can be screened for useful properties such as magnetoresistance. Thus, the present invention provides for the parallel synthesis and analysis of novel material having useful properties.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus are provided for the preparation of a substrate having an array of diverse materials, the materials being deposited at spatially addressable, predefined regions. In particular, potential masking systems are provided which generate spatially and temporally varying electric, magnetic and chemical potentials across a substrate. These varying potentials are used to deposit components of source materials onto a substrate in a combinatorial fashion, thus creating arrays of materials that differ slightly in chemical composition, concentration, stoichiometry, and/or thickness. The diverse materials may be organized in discrete arrays, or they may vary continuously over the surface of the substrate. The shape of the potential allows the determination of the composition of the resulting materials at all locations on the substrate.
Abstract:
The present invention relates, inter alia, to methodologies for the synthesis, screening and characterization of organometallic compounds and catalysts (e.g., homogeneous catalysts). The methods of the present invention provide for the combinatorial synthesis, screening and characterization of libraries of supported and unsupported organometallic compounds and catalysts (e.g., homogeneous catalysts). The methods of the present invention can be applied to the preparation and screening of large numbers of organometallic compounds which can be used not only as catalysts (e.g., homogeneous catalysts), but also as additives and therapeutic agents.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials (1205) are provided. In particular, techniques for rapidly characterizing compounds in arrays of materials (1205) in order to discover and/or optimize new materials with specific desired properties are provided. The substrate (403) can be screened for materials having useful properties, and/or the resulting materials can be ranked, or otherwise compared, for relative performance with respect to useful properties or other characterizations. In particular, systems (1200, 1300, 1400) and methods are provided for screening a library of magnetic materials (1205) for their bulk magnetization, saturation magnetization, and coercivity by imaging their individual optical Kerr rotation, screening a library of dielectric materials (1205) for their dielectric coefficients by imaging their individual electro-optical rotation and screening a library of luminescent materials by imaging their individual luminescent properties under a variety of excitation conditions. Optical or visible luminescence systems (1200, 1300, 1400) are also provided as well as their application to screening libraries of different materials (1205).
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In one aspect, systems and methods are provided for imaging a library of materials using ultrasonic imaging techniques. The system includes one or more devices for exciting an element of the library such that acoustic waves are propagated through, and from, the element. The acoustic waves propagated from the element are detected and processed to yield a visual image of the library element. The acoustic wave data can also be processed to obtain information about the elastic properties of the library element. In another aspect, systems and methods are provided for generating acoustic waves in a tank filled with a coupling liquid. The library of materials is then placed in the tank and the surface of the coupling liquid is scanned with a laser beam. The structure of the liquid surface disturbed by the acoustic wave is recorded, the recorded disturbance being representative of the physical structure of the library. In another aspect of the invention, a mechanical resonator is used to evaluate various properties (e.g., molecular weight, viscosity, specific weight, elasticity, dielectric constant, conductivity, etc.) of the individual liquid elements of a library of materials. The resonator is designed to ineffectively excite acoustic waves. The frequency response of the resonator is measured for the liquid element under test, preferably as a function of time. By calibrating the resonator to a set of standard liquids with known properties, the properties of the unknown liquid can be determined. An array of library elements can be characterized by a single scanning transducer or by using an array of transducers corresponding to the array of library elements. Alternatively, multiple resonators of differing design may be used to evaluate each element of a library of elements, thus providing improved dynamic range and sensitivity.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In particular, techniques are provided for rapidly characterizing compounds in combinatorial arrays of materials for discovering and/or optimizing new materials with specific desired properties. According to one aspect, a scanning mass spectrometer is used which includes an ionization chamber and a collector that outputs an electrical signal responsive to the quantity of gas ions contacting the collector surface. A conduit system selectively withdraws samples from the array of materials, passing the samples into the ionization chamber. In a specific embodiment, reactants are passed through the conduit system to the selected regions of interest on the substrate. Means are provided to selectively heat regions on the substrate.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials using infrared imaging techniques are provided. Typically, each of the individual materials on the array will be screened or interrogated for the same material characteristic. Once screened, the individual materials may be ranked or otherwise compared relative to each other with respect to the material characteristic under investigation. According to one aspect, infrared imaging techniques are used to identify the active sites within an array of compounds by monitoring the temperature change resulting from a reaction. This same technique can also be used to quantify the stability of each new material within an array of compounds. According to another aspect, identification and characterization of condensed phase products is achieved, wherein library elements are activated by a heat source serially, or in parallel. According to another aspect, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer is used to rapidly characterize a large number of chemical reactions contained within a combinatorial library.