Particle sensors based on amplified quenching of conjugated polymers for biosensing applications

Conjugated polymers (CP)s display unique material properties that allow for implementation as sensors. For sensors to operate in complex biological environments, it is important to address the issues of sensitivity and specificity. To develop these attributes in a biosensor design, CPbased core-shell particles have been investigated as potential material platforms to detect protease activity. CP-based particles have greater sensitivity versus CPs in solution due to interchain and intrachain interactions afforded in the solid state. The CP core of the particle can be made using layer-by-layer assembly, a versatile technique that forms uniform polymeric films through non-covalent interactions. To measure the response of CP core particles in aqueous environments, a quantitative ratiometric approach was developed to account for system fluctuations encountered with particle dispersions. This method can help assess the molecular design of polymers and quenchers in a systematic approach. CP core particles, because of their electrostatic charge, suffer from nonspecific interactions with other charged species, and thus encapsulating CP particles with a hydrogel shell should create sensor materials with higher specificity.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Liao, Jessica Huien, 1979-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Timothy M. Swager and Michael F. Rubner.

• Materials Science and Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/39482

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/39482