AVS 50th International Symposium
    Homeland Security Topical Conference Wednesday Sessions
       Session HS+MM-WeA

Invited Paper HS+MM-WeA5
Polymer Electronics for Ultra-Sensitive Chemical and Biological Sensors

Wednesday, November 5, 2003, 3:20 pm, Room 309

Session: Detection of Explosives and Other Chemicals for Homeland Security
Presenter: T.M. Swager, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Correspondent: Click to Email
This presentation will describe the design of electronic polymers that have the ability to undergo self-amplified responses.@footnote 1@ Optimal energy and charge transport properties are key to the amplifying ability of these materials. Design principles have been developed that can be used to improve the mobility and lifetime of excitons will be presented. To elicit a selective sensor response different molecular recognition principles have been integrated into the polymers. Effective implementation of recognition elements requires effective transduction events that are compatible with the amplifying ability of the polymers. Designs based upon energy transfer, quenching, and excimer formation will be presented for the detection of DNA, Proteins, Chemical Warfare Agents, Explosives, and Ions. I will also discuss our continuing efforts in the design of sensory materials that utilize molecular recognition events to product changes in conductivity. In many cases we use transition metal ions are redox active elements in these materials and I will outline the design principles for producing conducting polymers that utilize the metal ions as part of the conducting pathway. These materials have allowed us to produce new sensors for nitric oxide, a signaling agent in biological systems. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ (a) Swager, T. M. "The Molecular Wire Approach to Sensory Signal Amplification" Accts. Chem. Res. 1998, 31, 201-7. (b) McQuade, D. T.; Pullen, A. E.; Swager, T. M. "Conjugated Polymer Sensory Materials" Chem. Rev. 2000, 100, 2537-2574. (c) Self-Amplifying SemiconductingPolymers for Chemical Sensors Swager, T. M.; Wosnick, J. H. MRS Bulletin, 2002, June, 446. (d) J.H. Wosnick and T.M. Swager, "Molecular Photonic and Electronic Circuitry for Ultra-Sensitive Chemical Sensors" Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 4 (2000) p. 711.