UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA

Brief Description

A novel type of mesoscopically organized inorganic/organic block copolymer composites.

Background

Previous fabricated optically transparent, dye-doped solids have been in the form of large crystals, inorganic glasses, and polymers. However, all of these systems are limited with regards to the incorporation of optically active compounds or other property restrictions, which can constrain their utility to device applications. Relatively low thermal or mechanical stabilities, especially with respect to the photostability of the incorporated dye, have limited the use of polymeric systems. Sol-gel glasses have offered a more favorable alternative to polymeric host systems and have been important in the development of optically-based sensors and optical materials exhibiting lasing or amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) properties. However, in systems processed as monoliths and thin films, the thresholds for both kinds of superlinear optical input-output behavior tend to be undesirably high. Although these systems demonstrate good long-term stabilities and processabilities, they are hindered by their relatively long response times. Recent efforts to use self-assembling surfactant species to organize inorganic networks have provided opportunities to produce inorganic/organic composites and mesoporous solids with high degrees of mesoscopic order. However, demonstrations of optical and sensing applications of these materials have been limited.

Description

Scientists at the University of California have developed a novel type of mesoscopically organized inorganic/organic block copolymer composites that can be doped with dyes or complexes to make them suitable for several optical and sensing applications.

 

Applications

This new invention has several applications, such as:

 

• lasers;
• Materials for amplified spontaneous emission;
• Hosts for photochromic dyes that allow fast optical switching;
• Optical sensors;
• Waveguides;
• Fibers, monoliths, thin films, and coatings on optical fibers;
• pH and oxygen sensing.

 

Advantages

The new UC technology provides the following benefits:

 

• Enables high dye doping by simultaneously ensuring high dye dispersion and reduced dye dimerization;
• Allows a rational adjustment of the local dye microenvironments;
• Can be processed into a variety of different shapes.

 

Patent Status

Country	Type	Number	Dated	Case
United States Of America	Issued Patent	6,952,436	10/04/2005	2001-009

Inventors

• Chmelka, Bradley F.
• Huang, Howard C.
• Melosh, Nicholas A.
• Scott, Brian J.
• Stucky, Galen D.
• Wirnsberger, Gernot
• Yang, Peidong

Other Information

Contact

Shaun R. Juncal / juncal@tia.ucsb.edu / tel: View Phone Number. Please reference Tech ID #10211.

ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES BY THESE INVENTORS

• Modular Adhesives And Energy-Dissipating Materials
• Synthesis Of Silica And Silicone Polymer Networks Under Benign Conditions
• Tough, Self-Healing Silicone Materials
• Nanoparticle Assembled Hollow Spheres
• Thermally Stable Proton-Conductive Membranes for Fuel Cell Applications
• Membranes for Electrochemical Devices and Materials (Fuel cells, Photovoltaic, Batteries)
• Hemostatic and Wound Healing Compositions
• High Performance Polymeric Material for Holographic Data Storage
• Novel Current Collector Design for Use in Rechargeable Lithium Metal Batteries
• Low Cost Nanoparticles for Fossil Fuel Exhaust Treatment
• Hydrogen Cyano Fullerene Containing Proton Conducting Membranes
• Hydrophilic Phosphoric Acid Compositions for Proton Conducting Membranes
• Novel Capacitor for Rechargeable Batteries with Longer Lifetimes
• Method of Preparing Silicon and Silicon-Germanium Nanocomposites as Thermoelectric Materials