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01/06 real estate listings
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|Saturday, April 01, 2006
Powerlist: Law FirmsOctober 2014
Thursday, September 25, 2014
A conversation with leading partners at law firms in Portland and eastern Oregon, followed by October's powerlist.
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Election SeasonNovember/December 2014
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
We didn't intend this issue to have an election season theme. But politics has a way of seeping into the cracks and fissures.
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I Know How You FeelNovember/December 2014
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Most smartphones come equipped with speech recognition systems like Siri or Cortana that are capable of understanding the human voice and putting words into actions. But what if smartphones could do more? What if smartphones could register feeling?
Read more...
A Recipe for SuccessOctober 2014
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Two businesswomen, two iconic food brands and one food-obsessed city. We thought this sounded like a recipe for good conversation. So in late August, Oregon Business sat down with Wendy Collie, CEO of New Seasons Market, and Kim Malek, owner of Salt & Straw, to discuss their rapidly expanding businesses and Oregon's trendsetting food scene.
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Kill the MeetingNovember/December 2014
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Meetings get a bad rap. A few local companies make them count.
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A Complex Portrait: Immigration, Jobs and the EconomyNovember/December 2014
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Oregon Business reports on the visa squeeze, the skills gap and foreign-born residents who are revitalizing rural Oregon.
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Books RuleOctober 2014
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Powell's stays relevant in the digital age.
Read more...
|A Complex Portrait: Immigration, Jobs and the Economy
|Revenge Forestry
|Woman of Steel
|The Bookseller
|Kill the Meeting
|Political Clout
|Mergers lucrative for departing CEOs, but not necessarily shareholders
|Senators ask, but get no real answers regarding safety from air bag executives
|Senate investigation says Wall Street misused commodities businesses
|Amazon says its cloud services will run on renewable energy
|Home building falls in October due to apartment sector
|Dollar hits highest point against Yen since 2007
|Investors wonder if OPEC cutback is imminent
Is your business ready to join us in the call for action? This opening panel includes Oregon businesses who will discuss why they signed the Oregon Climate Declaration, the investments they are making to reduce carbon emissions, and how their actions are affecting their companies.
Get ready for two days of special events produced with the EPA, Portland Timbers and ISOS before and after the GoGreen Conference on October 16.
Plenty of employers seem "dazed and confused" after the recent vote to legalize marijuana. In light of Measure 91 passing, what are some issues for private-sector Oregon employers to consider?
Rotary's Oregon Ethics in Business aims to raise consciousness about business ethics by honoring exceptional companies.
Barran Liebman's annual employment law seminar is an industry classic.
Is my drug-free workplace policy up in smoke?
More than 400 "Change Makers" will gather to invest in a socially sustainable community.
Sussman Shank LLP is pleased to announce that Dallas G. Thomsen and Victor J. Roehm have become partners of the firm.


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SEC: Vanderbilt easily handles Kentucky
Vanderbilt 38, Kentucky 8
NASHVILLE -- The Vanderbilt Commodores now must win away from home if they want to reach their first bowl game since 2008.
Zac Stacy ran for 135 yards and three touchdowns, and Jordan Rodgers threw for 207 yards and two TDs as Vanderbilt routed Kentucky, 38-8, on Saturday to snap a two-game skid.
The Commodores (5-5, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) improved to 5-2 at home under first-year coach James Franklin. They finish the season at Tennessee and at Wake Forest.
"I don't know what's happened in the past," Franklin said. "We have a mission and a plan, and today we took steps towards that plan. What we did at home is important, but you need to win tough games on the road. That's what this conference is about."
Kentucky (4-6, 1-5) had won two straight and eight of the last 10 in this series. The Wildcats, with freshman Maxwell Smith making his first road start, never threatened and now must win both at No. 14 Georgia and in their home finale against Tennessee to extend their school-record streak to a sixth straight bowl game.
Wildcats coach Joker Phillips wasn't happy at a season-low in time of possession or a season high with 10 penalties for 105 yards or the final margin.
"To lose to anybody by this margin, this way, it has nothing to do with the margin, it has to do with the way we lost," Phillips said. "It's demoralizing that we didn't execute the way we needed to win."
The Commodores sacked Smith four times and forced a turnover.
Vanderbilt dominated almost from the opening kick in jumping out to a 24-0 lead at halftime.
Other games
(15) South Carolina 17, Florida 12 at Columbia, S.C.: Quarterback Connor Shaw ran for 88 yards and two touchdowns to lead South Carolina (8-2, 6-2). Freshman Brandon Wilds ran for 120 yards for the Gamecocks.
"This is one of the best (wins) I've ever had, and I'm not kidding," Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier said. "I'm serious, and not because it's my old school; because it's six wins in the conference and against three schools that have dominated South Carolina prior to 2005. It's special to know we're 6-0 the last two years against Tennessee, Florida and Georgia."
South Carolina led 14-3 after Shaw's sneak just before the half, but Florida (5-5, 3-5) rallied. A 2-yard touchdown run by Jacoby Brissett made it 14-12, but the Gators never threatened again.
(14) Georgia 45, (24) Auburn 7 at Athens, Ga.: Aaron Murray threw four touchdown passes to surpass Matthew Stafford's school record, and the Bulldogs moved one win from playing for the SEC championship.
The Bulldogs (8-2, 6-1 SEC) won their eighth in a row, racing to a 35-7 halftime lead over the Tigers (6-4, 4-3) and finishing with their biggest win in the series since 1946.
Georgia can clinch its first division title in six years at home next weekend against Kentucky.
"We feel great," Murray said. "We control our own destiny. But we've still got to win next week to get back to Atlanta."
Murray has 27 TD passes for the season -- nine in the past two weeks. He broke Stafford's school mark of 25 set in 2008.
(1) LSU 42, Western Kentucky 9 at Baton Rouge, La.: Alfred Blue and Kenny Hilliard each scored two touchdowns, and the Tigers (10-0) overcame a slow start to defeat the Hilltoppers (5-5).
Jordan Jefferson made his first start of the season against the Hilltoppers, hitting 8 of 14 passes for 168 yards, including a 59-yard pass strike to Rueben Randle.
LSU led only 14-7 at halftime before dominating the second half.
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Are you travelling internationally? Make sure you understand the international regulations.
Transport Canada permits 2 carry-on bags per air traveller. Your air carrier may choose to further restrict the number and size of bags permitted. Please contact your airline for exact details.
The following links will further assist you:
For a list of what not to put in your carry-on, please visit the CATSA website. Carry-on liquids must be 100 mL or less and packed in a 1 L clear plastic bag. All containers over 100 mL should be placed in checked baggage.
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A method for preparing transparent mesostructured inorganic/block-copolymer composites or inorganic porous solids containing optically responsive species with selective optical, optoelectronic, and sensing properties resulting therefrom. Mesoscopically organized inorganic/block copolymer composites doped with dyes or complexes are prepared for use as optical hosts, chemical/physical/biological sensors, photochromic materials, optical waveguides, tunable solid-state lasers, or optoelectronic devices. The materials can be processed into a variety of different shapes, such as films, fibers, monoliths, for novel optical and sensing applications.
1. A method of forming transparent mesostructured host materials that include optical or redox responsive moieties comprising preparing a self-assembling system by dissolving an inorganic network precursor, and a block copolymer in a solvent to form a mesostructured composite, and adding an optically responsive agent to either the solvent or to the mesostructured composite.
2. The method of
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17. The method of
18. A method of forming an optically responsive mesostructured material, comprising:
i) preparing a self-assembling system by dissolving an inorganic network precursor species, a block copolymer, and an optically responsive agent in a solvent; and
ii) polymerizing or crystallizing said precursor species to form a mesostructured composite.
19. The method of
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30. The method of
31. A method of forming a transparent mesoscopically structured material that includes an optical or redox responsive moiety, comprising:
i) preparing a self-assembling system by dissolving an inorganic network precursor species and a block copolymer in a solvent;
ii) polymerizing or crystallizing said precursor species to form a mesostructured composite, said composite comprising an inorganic network;
iii) removing the block copolymer from the composite to form an inorganic network having mesopores; and
iv) loading an optically responsive agent into the mesopores of the inorganic network.
32. The method of
33. The method of
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35. The method of
36. The method of
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38. The method of
39. The method of
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41. The method of
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43. The method of
44. A method of forming a transparent mesoscopically structured material that includes an optical or redox responsive moiety, comprising:
i) combining a functionalized inorganic network precursor having a reactive group with a functionalized optically responsive agent having a complementary reactive group to form a derivatized optically responsive agent, in which said optically responsive agent is covalently attached to said inorganic network precursor;
ii) preparing a self-assembling system by dissolving a block copolymer; and the derivatized agent in a solvent; and
iii) polymerizing or crystallizing said derivatized agent to form a mesostructured composite having an inorganic network wherein the optically responsive agent is covalently anchored to said inorganic network.
45. The method of
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55. The method of
56. An optically responsive mesescopically structured material comprising an inorganic framework, an amphiphilic block copolymer and an optically responsive agent.
57. The material of
58. The optically responsive mesoscopically structured material of
59. A microring laser device comprising an optical fiber and one or more layers of meostructured materials coating the fiber wherein at least one of said layers comprises the optically responsive mesoscopically structured material of
60. The microring laser device of
61. The microring laser of
62. A method of making a microring laser device comprising;
i) coating an optical fiber with a first layer comprising a mesoscopically structured inorganic/block copolymer composite;
ii) coating the first layer with a second layer comprising the optically responsive mesoscopically structured material of
63. A waveguide device comprising a substrate, a mesoporous support layer deposited on the substrate, and a molded pattern on the support layer, said molded pattern comprising the optically responsive mesoscopically structured material of
64. The waveguide device of
65. The waveguide device of
66. The waveguide device of
67. An optically responsive mesoporous material comprising a mesoporous inorganic framework having an optically responsive agent covalently attached to the framework.
68. The material of
69. An optically responsive mesoporous material comprising a mesoporous inorganic framework and an optically responsive agent adsorbed to the framework.
70. The material of
71. A solid state sensor device comprising a substrate layer and a sensing layer, said sensing layer comprising the optically responsive mesoporous material of claims 67 or 69.
72. The solid state sensor device of
73. The solid state sensor device of
74. The solid state sensor device of
75. The solid state sensor device of
76. The solid state sensor device of
77. The solid state sensor device of
78. A method of forming an optically responsive mesoscopically structured material comprising:
i) combining an amphiphilic block copolymer, an inorganic oxide precurser species and an optically responsive agent;
ii) applying pressure to said combination, whereby the block copolymer and inorganic oxide precursor are self-assembled into a mesoscopically structured composite; and
iii) polymerizing said inorganic oxide precursor species to form an inorganic oxide framework.
79. The method of
80. The method of
81. A method of forming an optically responsive mesoscopically structured material, comprising:
i) contacting a mold, having a first open end and a second open end, with a substrate;
ii) combining an amphiphilic block copolymer, an inorganic oxide precursor species and an optically responsive agent and
iii) filling said mold with said combination by capillary flow from an open end whereby the block copolymer, inorganic oxide precursor species and optically responsive agent are self-assembled and polymerized into a mesoscopically structured composite.
82. The method of
83. A method of making a waveguide, comprising:
i) preparing a first self-assembling system by dissolving an inorganic oxide precursor and an amphiphilic block copolymer in an acidic solvent;
ii) applying a film of the first self assembling system on a substrate;
iii) polymerizing said inorganic oxide precursor of the first self assembling system to form a mesostructured composite;
iv) removing the amphiphilic block copolymer to form a mesoporous support layer;
v) preparing a second self-assembling system by dissolving an inorganic oxide precursor, an amphiphilic block copolymer, and an optically responsive agent in an acidic solvent;
vi) molding the second self-assembling system into a waveguide pattern on the mesoporous support layer by soft lithography; and
vii) polymerizing said precursor of the second self-assembling system to form an optically responsive mesostructured composite.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/248,871, filed Nov. 14, 2000.
This invention was made with Government support under Grant. Nos. DMR-9632716 and CTS-9871970, awarded by the National Science Foundation, and under Grant No. DAAH04-96-1-0443, awarded by the U. S. Army. The Government has certain rights in this invention.
The field of the invention is transparent solids having optical and sensing properties.
Until now, optically transparent, dye-doped solids have been in the form of large crystals, inorganic glasses, and polymers. For reviews of inorganic glasses, see, e.g.: a.) Struct. Bond 1996, 85 (complete volume); b) Lebeau, B.; Sanchez, C. Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science 1999, 4, 11; c) Dunn B.; Zink, J. Chem. Mater. 1997, 9, 2280; d) Avnir, D. Acc. Chem. Res. 1995, 28, 328. For polymers, see, e.g: Qian, S.-X.; Snow, J. B.; Tzeng, H.-M.; Chang, R. K. Science 1986, 231, 486. In each of these systems, there are limitations to the incorporation of optically responsive compounds or other property restrictions that constrain their utility for device applications. For example, the inclusion of optically responsive agents in crystalline solids is limited to low concentrations, because of disruptions to the crystalline lattices. In glasses, aggregation of dye species occurs at relatively low dye-doping levels (above0.5 wt %) to produce undesirable opacity or high excitation thresholds for lasing or amplified spontaneous emission. See, e.g: Yanagi, H.; Hishiki, T.; Tobitani, T.; Otombo, A.; Mashiko, S. Chem. Phys. Lett. 1998, 292, 332. Polymeric systems are frequently limited by relatively low thermal or mechanical stabilities, especially with regard to the photostability of the incorporated dye (e.g., the decomposition of the dye under light illumination), which is crucial to long term device reliability and operation. See Rahn, M. D.; King, T. A. Appl. Opt. 1995, 34, 8260.
Because of the favorable properties of sol-gel glasses in terms of processing and dye photostability compared to polymeric host systems, substantial efforts have been undertaken to characterize the properties of the included dye species and to optimize syntheses for optical applications. The spectroscopic properties of such dye-host materials are mainly determined by the local dye environment, which can be used to probe local dye interactions with the host matrix. Numerous dye-doped sol-gel-derived glasses with different compositions and prepared under different processing conditions (pH, solvent used, sol-gel aging time) have been investigated. See Struct. Bond, supra; Lebeau, B.; Sanchez, C., supra; Dunn B.; Zink, J., supra; and Avnir, D. Acc., supra. Two primary means by which the spectroscopic properties of such materials can be modified are through changes in the composition of the host matrix or through the selection of different optically responsive species. One example is the use of organically modified silicate systems (so-called ORMOSILS), instead of an entirely inorganic oxide matrix, to prepare organic-dye-doped systems with enhanced photostabilities. See, e.g.: Zink, J. I.; Dunn, B.; Kaner, R. B.; Knobbe, E. T.; McKiernan, J. ACS Symp. Ser. 1991, 398, 541. A second example is the incorporation of rare earth complexes as luminescent species in composites of sol-gel glasses and organic polymers to reduce non-radiative quenching by H2O or inorganic hydroxyl groups, thereby enhancing quantum efficiencies and light emission. See Bekiari, V.; Pistolis, G.; Lianos, P. J. Non-cryst. Solids 1998, 226, 200. Local dye environments are crucially important to the optical properties of dye-doped solids and it would be desirable to be able to adjust such nanoscopic structural and compositional features with greater control and efficiency.
Dye-doped sol-gel-derived glasses have been important in the development of optical materials exhibiting lasing or amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) properties and in the development of optically based sensors. Lasing and amplified spontaneous emission have been demonstrated in such systems processed as monoliths and as thin films. For monoliths, see Zink, J. I. et al, supra, and e.g.: Salin, F.; Le Saux, G.; Georges, P.; Brun, A.; Bagnall, C.; Zarzycki, J. Opt. Lett. 1989, 14, 785. For thin films, see Yanagi, H., et al, supra. However, the thresholds for both kinds of superlinear optical input-output behavior tend to be undesirably high, due to relatively low dye solubilities and low quantum efficiencies (as discussed in more detail below). Such systems have nevertheless been used to develop optically based sensors for acidity, oxygen gas, and heavy metal detection. See, e.g: pH sensing : Grattan, K. T. V.; Badini, G. E.; Palmer, A. W.; Tseung, A. C. C. Sensors and Actuators 1991, 25-27, 483; Lobnik, A.; Oehme, I.; Markovic, I.; Wolfbeis, O. S. Anal. Chim. Acta 1998, 367, 159; Ben-David, O.; Shafir, E.; Gilath, I.; Prior, Y.; Avnir, D. Chem. Mater. 1997, 9, 2255; Rottman, C.; Ottolenghi, M.; Zusman, R.; Lev, O.; Smith, M.; Gong, G.; Kagan, M. L.; Avnir, D. Mater. Lett. 1992, 13, 293; Yang, L.; Saavedra, S. S. Anal. Chem. 1995, 67, 1307; oxygen sensing: McEvoy, A. K.; McDonagh, C.; MacCraith, B. D. J. Sol-Gel Sci. Techn. 1997, 8, 1121; McDonagh, C.; MacCraith, B. D.; McEvoy, A. K. Anal. Chem. 1998, 70, 45; heavy metal sensing: Iosefzon-Kuyavskaya, B.; Gigozin, I.; Ottolenghi, M.; Avnir, D.; Lev, O. J. Non-cryst. Solids 1992, 147&148, 808.
While good long-term stabilities and processabilities of dye-doped inorganic glasses or ORMOSIL materials are attractive for sensing applications, a major drawback is their relatively long response times. This is due to the dense homogeneous material structures in which the optically responsive species are encapsulated that slow diffusive transport of target molecular species to the optically responsive sensing sites within the material. The best sensing response times reported for dye-doped inorganic glasses or ORMOSIL are slow: 5 s for oxygen sensing with ruthenium complexes or 20 s for pH sensing using fluorescein-derivatives.
Recently, the use of self-assembling surfactant species to organize inorganic networks has provided opportunities to produce inorganic/organic composites and mesoporous solids with high degrees of mesoscopic order. So far, interest in these materials, which can have large surface areas of up to 1400 m2/g (after oxidation/extraction of the surfactant species,) has been confined mainly to catalysis and separation applications, because they have been prepared predominantly as powders. See Bunker, B. C.; Rieke, P. C.; Tarasevich, B. J.; Campell, A. A.; Fryxell, G. E.; Graff, G. L.; Song, L.; Liu, J.; Virden, J. W.; McVay, G. L. Science 1994, 264, 48; Sayari, A. Chem. Mater. 1996, 8, 1840; and Corma, A. Chem. Rev. 1997, 97, 2373. However, based on recent processing advancements, transparent mesostructured/mesoporous systems have been prepared. See Ryoo, R.; Ko, C. H., Cho, S. J., Kim J. M., J. Phys. Chem. B, 1997, 101, 10610; Huo, Q.; Zhao, D.; Feng, J.; Weston, K.; Buratto, S. K.; Stucky, G. D.; Schacht, S.; Schueth, F. Adv. Mater. 1997, 9, 974; Zhao, D.; Yang, P.; Melosh, N.; Feng, J.; Chmelka, B. F.; Stucky, G. D. Adv. Mater. 1998, 10, 1380; Yang, P.; Zhao, D.; Chmelka, B. F.; Stucky, G. D. Chem. Mater. 1998, 10, 2013; Goeltner, C., Henke, S., Weissenberger, M. C., Antonietti, M., Angew. Chem., Int Ed. Engl., 1998, 37, 613; Melosh, N. A.; Lipic, P.; Bates, F. S.; Wudl, F.; Stucky, G. D.; Fredrickson, G. H.; Chmelka, B. F. Macromolecules 1999, 32, 4332; Melosh, N. A.; Davidson, P.; Chmelka, B. F. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 823; and Yang, P.; Wirnsberger, G.; Huang, H. C.; Cordero, S. R.; Scott, B; McGehee, M. D.; Deng, T.; Whitesides, G. M.; Chmelka, B. F.; Buratto, S. K.; Stucky, G. D. Science 2000, 287, 465.
Optical functionalities have been introduced into such structures. See Yang, P. et al, supra, Marlow, F.; McGehee, M. D.; Zhao, D.; Chmelka, B. F.; and Stucky, G. D. Adv. Mater. 1999, 11, 632. Such functionalities can be introduced using surfactants with optical functionalities, reactive oxide/surfactant interfaces for the assembly of silicon clusters, or the covalent anchoring of dyes in small-pore thin films and monoliths. For surfactants, see Zhou, H. S.; Honma, I. Adv. Mater. 1999, 11, 683. For oxide/surfactant interfaces, see: Dag, O.; Ozin, G. A.; Yang, H.; Reber, C.; Bussiere, G. Adv. Mater. 1999, 11, 474. For covalent anchoring, see Lebeau, B.; Fowler, C. E.; Hall, S. R., Mann S. J. Mater. Chem. 1999, 9, 2279; and Fowler, C. F.; Lebeau, B.; Mann, S. Chem. Commun. 1998, 1825.
Thus far, however, no optical or sensing applications of these materials have been demonstrated, beyond amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) from small unit-cell mesostructured micron-size particles (grown by two-phase synthesis) and ASE in patterned thin films. [Marlow, F. et al, supra, and Yang, P., et al, supra.] Additionally, the successful removal of the surfactant, simultaneously maintaining both mesostructural order and optical transparency, has until now not been demonstrated. Distinct advantages of mesostructured/mesoporous materials over the prior art for several applications will be shown and discussed below.
Mesostructured/mesoporous materials have attracted a great deal of interest as potential catalysts and separation media, because of their large pore dimensions and volumes and high internal surface areas. See, Yanagiswa, T.; Shimizu, T.; Kuroda, K.; Kato, C. Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. 1990, 63, 988; Kresge, C. T.; Leonowicz, M. E.; Roth, W. J.; Vartuli, J. C.; Beck, J. S. Nature, 1992, 359, 710; Beck, J. S.; Vartull, J. C.; Roth, W. J.; Leonowicz, M. E.; Kresge, C. T.; Schmitt, K. D.; Chu, C. T.-W.; Olson, D. H.; Sheppard, E. W.; McCullen, S. B.; Higgins, J. B.; Schlenker, J. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1992, 114, 10834; Bunker, B. C.; Rieke, P. C.; Tarasevich, B T; Campell, A. A.; Fryxell, G. E.; Graff, G. L.; Song, L.; Liu, J.; Virden, J. W.; McVay, G. L. Science, 1994, 264, 48; Sayari, A. Chem. Mater. 1996, 8, 1840; and Corma, A. Chem. Rev. 1997, 97, 2373.
As indicated above, interesting application possibilities exist for mesoscopically ordered composites as optical materials, particularly as host media for molecules and complexes exhibiting optical functionalities. [Huo, Q.; Zhao, D.; Feng, J.; Weston, K.; Buratto, S. K.; Stucky, G. D.; Schacht, S.; Sch■th, F. Adv. Mater. 1997, 9, 974.] Such materials, with symmetric and adjustable mesoscopic structures and compositions, offer new opportunities for controlling the local environments of occluded dye molecules. Until now, dye inclusion has been mainly restricted to either incorporation in pure oxides or polymeric hosts. For oxides, see e.g., Avnir, D.; Levy, D.; Reisfeld, R. J Phys. Chem. 1984, 88, 5956; Salin, F.; Le Saux, G.; Georges, P.; Brun, A.; Bagnall, C.; Zarzycki, J. Opt. Lett. 1989, 14, 78; McKiernan, J. M.; Yamanaka, S. A.; Dunn, B.; Zink, J. I. J Phys. Chem. 1990, 94, 5652; and Yanagi, H.; Hishiki, T.; Tobitani, T.; Otomo, A.; Mashiko, S. Chem. Phys. Lett. 1998, 292,332. For polymeric hosts, see e.g., Deshpande, A.; Namdas, E. B. Chem. Phys. Lett. 1996, 263, 449; Kuwata-Gonokami, M.; Takeda, K.; Yasuda, H.; Ema, K. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 1992,31, L99; Taniguchi, H.; Yamada, H.; Fujiwara, T.; Tanosaki, S.; Ito, H.; Morozumi, H.; Baba, M. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 1993, 32, L59; and Kamada, K.; Sasaki, K.; Misawa, H.; Kitamura, N.; Masuhara, H. Chem. Phys. Lett. 1993, 210, 89.] An exception, as indicated above, is the occlusion of dyes in ORMOSILs, which have been shown to allow structural tuning of the local dye environment to a certain degree. However, such dye-doped ORMOSIL materials show no evidence of crystalline or mesoscopic ordering, as measured by X-ray or electron diffraction [Zink, J. I.; Dunn, B.; Kaner, R. B.; Knobbe, E. T.; McKiernan, J. ACS Sym. Ser. 1991, 455,541; and Knobbe, E. T.; Dunn, B.; Fuqua, P. D.; Nishida, F. Appl. Opt. 1990, 29, 2729.] Very recently, sol-gel glasses have also been doped with surfactants and their use has been shown to influence substantially the spectroscopic properties of simultaneously occluded dye molecules. [Rottman, C.; Grader, G.; Hazan, Y. D.; Melchior, S.; Avnir, D. J Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 8533.]
The degree of control over dye molecule environments and other advantages (such as increased photostability of occluded dye species), is expected to be significantly enhanced in dye-doped mesostructured composites. Furthermore, it is likely that new synergistic effects might result from surfactant/dye co-assembly into mesoscopically ordered structures. The use of differently charged surfactants (non-ionic, cationic, anionic) and the possibility of preparing structures under basic, neutral, or acidic conditions offers versatile synthesis and processing conditions that can be used to tailor materials to desired properties. See, Behrens, P. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1996, 35, 515; Huo, Q.; Margolese, D. I.; Stucky, G. D. Chem. Mater. 1996, 8, 1147; Huo, Q.; Margolese, D. I.; Ciesla, U.; Feng, P.; Gier, T. E.; Sieger, P.; Leon, R.; Petroff, P. M.; Schueth, F.; Stucky, G. D. Nature 1994, 368, 317; Huo, Q.; Marg-Jese, D. I.; Ciesla, U.; Demuth, D. G.; Feng, P.; Gier, T. E.; Sieger, P.; Firouzi, A.; Chmelka, B. F.; Schueth, F.; Stucky, G. D. Chem. Mater. 1994, 6, 1176; and Bagshaw, S. A.; Prouzet, E.; Pinnavaia, T. J. Science 1995, 269, 1242.
Silica mesostructured materials synthesized under acidic conditions, below the pH 2 isoelectric point of silica have proved to be particularly promising [Huo, Q.; Nature; and Zhao, D.; Science] in that they can be rapidly processed into different morphologies (fibers, films, monoliths) and hierachically ordered structures patterned by soft-lithography. For reviews of soft-lithographic patterning, see Xia, Y.; Whitesides, G. M. Ann. Rev. Mater. Sci. 1998, 28,153; Xia, Y.; Rogers, J. A.; Paul, K. E.; Whitesides, G. M. Chem. Rev. 1999, 99, 1823. For fibers, see Huo, Q.; Zhao, D., et al, supra; Yang, P.; Zhao, D., et al, supra; and Bruinsma, P. J.; Kim, A. Y.; Liu, J.; Baskaran, S. Chem. Mater. 1997, 9, 2507. For thin films, see Lu, Y.; Ganguli, R.; Drewien, C. A.; Anderson, M. T.; Brinker, C. J.; Gong, W.; Guo, Y.; Soyez, H.; Dunn, B.; Huang, M. H.; Zink, J. I. Nature 1997, 389, 364; Tolbert, S. H.; Schaffer, T. E.; Feng, J.; Hansma, P. K.; Stucky, G. D. Chem. Mater. 1997, 9, 1962; Aksay, I. A.; Trau, M.; Manne, S.; Honma, I.; Yao, N.; Zhou, L.; Fenter, P.; Eisenberger, P. M.; Gruner, S. M. Science 1996, 273, 892; Yang, H.; Kupernan, A.; Coombs, N.; Mamiche-Afara, S.; Ozin, G. A. Nature 1996, 379, 703; Ryoo, R.; Ko, C. H.; Cho, S. J.; Kim, J. M. J Phys. Chem. B 1997,101,10610; and Zhao, D.; Yang, P.; Melosh, N.; Feng, J.; Chmelka, B. F.; Stucky, G. D. Adv. Mater. 1998, 10, 1380. For monoliths, see Melosh, N. A.; Lipic, P.; Bates, F. S.; Wudl, F.; Stucky, G. D.; Fredrickson, G. H.; Chmelka, B. F. Macromolecules 1999, 32, 4332; and Goeltner, C., Henke, S., et al, supra. For hierachically ordered structures, see Yang, P.; Deng, T.; Zhao, D.; Feng, P.; Pine, D.; Chmelka, B. F.; Whitesides, G. M.; Stucky, G. D. Science 1998, 282, 2244; Zhao, D.; et al. Adv. Mater. (meso/macroporous membranes). Synthesis conditions can moreover be adapted to allow such materials to be prepared over a wide range of inorganic framework compositions and mesoscopic structures to tailor the properties of these complex heterogeneous multicomponent systems. [Yang, P.; Deng, T., et al, supra; and Huang, M. H.; Dunn, B. S.; Soyez, H.; Zink, J. I. Langmuir 1998, 14, 7331.
Whereas the first incorporation of dye molecules into mesostructured materials was aimed at in situ monitoring of mesostructure formation during processing [Lu, Y., et al, supra; and Zhou, H. S.; Honma, I., et al, supra], recent efforts have been directed toward the goal of obtaining dye-doped structures for optical applications. [Honma, I.; Zhou, H. S.; Chem. Mater. 1998, 10, 103.] Quite different approaches have been used, ranging from the incorporation of phthalocyanins with the help of specifically designed surfactants,[Wu, J.; Gross, A. F.; Tolbert, S. H. J Phys. Chem. B 1999, 103, 2374] or insertion of polymers into MCM-41-type materials after surfactant extraction, [Dag, O.; Ozin, G. A.; Yang, H.; Reber, C.; Bussiere, G. Adv. Mater. 1999,11, 474] to the generation of photoluminescent silicon clusters on the walls of as-synthesized SBA-3 films. [Yang, P.; Wirnsberger, G., et al, supra.] We have recently reported the development of patterned waveguide arrays formed from rhodamine-6G-doped mesostructured silica using poly(ethyleneoxide)-b-(poly(propyleneoxide)-b-poly(ethyleneoxide) amphiphilic triblock copolymer surfactant species [specifically, (EO)20(PO)70(EO)20, abbreviated P123]. [Yang, P. et al., Science, 2000, XX, XX.] Rhodamine-6G (R6G)-doped mesostructured silica composites were formed into long nonintersecting line patterns by using soft lithography.
Here, we disclose and characterize mesostructured inorganic-organic composite and porous inorganic materials for optical and sensing applications. Such materials have several important advantages and properties including unique adjustability of material composition, structure, macroscopic morphologies, and orientational ordering. This permits substantial improvements (e.g., lower lasing thresholds, higher photostabilities, and superior mechanical and thermal stabilities) over the existing state-of-the-art in several areas, including waveguides, lasers, optical limiters, optical switches and interconnects, optical amplifiers, and sensing devices.
The present invention provides a method for preparing a mesostructured inorganic/organic hybrid or mesostructured inorganic solids for optical and sensing applications. Key features of the materials are that they can be prepared sufficiently free of defects to be transparent, while providing selective optical absorption and emission characteristics and the structures resulting therefrom.
One embodiment of the present invention is a method of forming an optically responsive mesostructured material by direct dye doping. A self-assembling system is prepared by dissolving an inorganic precursor, a self-assembling block copolymer, and an optically responsive agent in a solvent, and polymerizing the inorganic precursor species to form a mesostructured composite. This method can include the further step of removing the block copolymer species from the composite by calcination or extraction to form a mesoporous material.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of forming an optically responsive mesostructured material by anchoring the dye to an inorganic framework. In this method a derivatized dye molecule is formed by anchoring a dye molecule to an organo-alkoxysilane. A self-assembling system is then prepared by dissolving an inorganic precursor, a self-assembling block copolymer, and the derivatized dye molecule in a solvent. The inorganic precursor species are subsequently polymerized or crystallized to form a mesostructured inorganic/block copolymer composite.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a method of forming an optically responsive mesoscopically ordered porous material, wherein inorganic precursor species and a self-assembling block copolymer are dissolved in a solvent, the precursor species are polymerized or crystallized to form a mesostructured inorganic/block copolymer composite, and the block copolymer species are removed from the composite to form a mesoporous material. The optically responsive agent is subsequently introduced into the mesoporous material.
The inorganic precursor is preferably a metal alkoxide or organo-metal precursor, such as tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), tetramethoxysilane (TMOS), and tetrapropoxysilane (TPOS), most preferably TEOS, but may also include transition metal compounds, organo-metals, organoalkoxysilanes, and mixtures thereof.
The block copolymer can be any self-assembling architecture, but is preferably an amphiphilic triblock copolymer, such as a poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(alkylene oxide)-poly (ethylene oxide) polymer, where the central alkylene oxide moiety has at least three carbon atoms. Most preferably the triblock copolymer is poly(ethyleneoxide)-poly(propyleneoxide)-poly(ethyleneoxide).
The optically responsive agents can include, but are not restricted to, organic dyes, such as rhodamine, fluoroscein, porphyrin, spirooxazine, conjugated organic molecules, organometallic molecules, charge transfer complexes, rare-earth species, and their derivatives. More particularly the optically responsive agent is rhodamine 6G, fluoroscein isothiocyanate, fluoroscein isothiocyanate derivatized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, tetraphenylporphyrin, or ruthenium trisbipyridine.
The optically responsive mesostructured material can be further processed by applying a one or more layers of the mesostructured material to a substrate by dip-coating, spin-coating, or forming molded patterns by soft lithography.
The materials produced by the foregoing methods include: (a) composites comprising an inorganic or organically functionalized inorganic framework, a block copolymer and an optically responsive agent; (b) a mesoporous inorganic or organically functionalized inorganic framework having an optically responsive agent covalently anchored to the framework; or (c) a mesoporous inorganic or organically functionalized inorganic framework having an optically responsive agent adsorbed on or included in the framework. These materials may be combined with non-mesostructured materials that insulate, produce a barrier (e.g., for protection or to modify permeability), or modify the refractive index of the material interfaces.
These materials can be used as a component of a solid-state sensor device comprising a substrate layer and a sensing layer, where the sensing layer is one of the optically responsive mesoporous materials of the present invention. For example, a pH sensor can be made wherein the optically responsive agent of the sensing layer is fluoroscein. In another example, the device is an oxygen sensor where the optically actic agent in the sensing layer is Ru(bipy)3 3+.
In addition, the optically responsive materials of the present invention can be used to make laser devices, in which feedback is incorporated into the device to produce amplification and coherence. Such lasers can be prepared by dip-coating, spin-coating, forming molded patterns by soft lithography, or ink-jet printing on substrates. Examples include a microring-type laser, where an optical fiber is coated with one or more layers of mesostructured materials. In preferred embodiments, such laser devices include one or more mesostructured support layers coating the optical fiber, one or more optically responsive layers coating the support layer(s), and one or more mesostructured layers deposited on the optically responsive layer(s). The compositions and structures of the mesostructured layers can be selected to modify transport (e.g., permeability) and optical (e.g., refractive index) properties of the layers and device.
In addition, the optically responsive mesostructured materials of the present invention can be used to make a waveguide device, where a mesoporous support layer is deposited on a substrate, and a waveguide pattern of an optically responsive mesostructured material is molded on the support layer. Preferably, the refractive index of the optically responsive material is greater than that of the support layer.
Mesoscopically organized inorganic/block copolymer composites are outstanding materials for optical applications, especially when transparent and derivatized or doped with dyes, conjugated organic molecules, organometallic complexes, or rare-earth species. This includes, but is not limited to, their use as lasers, materials for amplified spontaneous emission, hosts for photochromic dyes that allow fast optical switching, optical sensors, and waveguides. The nanophase separation in these materials enables high dye doping concentrations by enhancing dye dispersion through improved solubility, including reduced dye aggregation or complexation. Moreover, nanophase separation allows a rational adjustment of the local dye nanoenvironments. Also, the porous forms of these materials, derived by low-temperature block-copolymer extraction or high temperature calcination are excellent materials for sensing applications when doped with organic dyes, conjugated organic molecules, inorganic complexes, or rare-earth species. Examples include pH and oxygen sensing, and it is shown that the responses of these sensors are much faster than that of conventional sol-gel glasses doped with the same dyes or complexes. Importantly, the materials can also be processed into a variety of different shapes useful for optical applications, including films, fibers, monoliths, and coatings on film or fibers substrates.
I. General Purpose or Utility
The use of as-synthesized mesostructured materials as host media for dye or optically responsive molecules offers a new route to optical materials with advantageous characteristics, including low-threshold lasing, optical limiting, and ultrasensitive chemical and biological detection properties. These materials are useful as waveguides, laser materials, optical switches and interconnects, optical amplifiers, delay generators and sensors, as well as in other optical applications. Furthermore, the attractive processability of inorganic-block copolymer composites permits straightforward engineering of the materials into a variety of macroscopic shapes, including films, fibers, and monoliths. Inexpensive, easy, and fast preparations should make these materials suitable for large-scale production of optical components. Extensions of these materials for optical applications obvious to those skilled in the art include the incorporation of semiconductors, nanometer-sized clusters, and rare earth complexes in transparent inorganic/block copolymer mesophase composites or mesoporous solids.
II. Technical Description
The present application is directed to an efficient preparation of inorganic/block copolymer/dye composites and dye-doped mesoporous materials. These materials are prepared by combining a self-assembling block copolymer species (preferably, but not necessarily amphiphilic block copolymers) with inorganic precursor species, (preferably, but not necessarily, by creating an acidic sol-gel solution). The block copolymer species act as structure-directing agents for the inorganic precursor species, which polymerize or crystallize into a network with meso- and/or macroscopic order imparted by the self-assembled block copolymer species. Optically responsive functionalities can be introduced by incorporating optically responsive molecules into the block copolymer/inorganic composites or mesoporous solids during synthesis or by post-synthesis modification.
Preferred inorganic precursor species, include tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), tetramethoxysilane (TMOS), tetrapropoxysilane (TPOS), or organically modified derivatives, which are suitable sources of silica for the preparation of mesoporous silica structures. The inorganic species can also include: metal alkoxides; metal halides; metal oxides, such as Nb2O5, TiO2, ZrO2, WO3, AlSiO3,5, AlSiO5.5, SiTiO4, Al2O3, Ta2O5, SiO2, SnO2, HfO2, ZrTiO4, Al2TiO5. The metal precursors may include any of the main group, transition metals, and rare-earth metals and mixtures thereof. Transition metal, as used herein, refers to an element designated in the Periodic Table as belonging to Group IIIB (e.g., scandium and yttrium), Group IVB (e.g., titanium, zirconium and hafnium), Group VB (e.g. chromium, molybdenum and tungsten), Group VIIB (e.g., manganese, technitium and rhenium), Group VIIIB (iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium and platinum), Group IB (e.g., copper, gold and silver) and Group IIB (zinc, cadmium and mercury).
Commercially available, low-cost, non-toxic, and biodegradable amphiphilic poly(alkylene oxide) block polymers can be used as the structure-directing agents in solutions for organizing the network-forming metal compound species. Preferably the block copolymer is a triblock copolymer in which a hydrophilic poly(alkylene oxide), such as polyethylene oxide (EOx), is linearly covalent with the opposite ends of a hydrophobic poly(alkylene oxide), such as poly(propylene oxide) (POy), or a diblock polymer in which, for example, poly(ethylene oxide) is linearly covalent with poly(butylene oxide) (BOy). This can variously be designated as follows:
Preparation of a precursor solution was outlined in D. Zhao, et al., Science, 279, 548 (1998) and Zhao, et al., Adv. Mater., 10, 1380 (1998). Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), tetramethoxysilane (TMOS), and tetrapropoxysilane (TPOS) were suitable sources of silica for the preparation of mesoporous silica structures. Oligomeric silica sol-gel precursor species were obtained by pre-hydrolysis of TEOS in ethanol by an acid catalyzed reaction Hexagonal mesoporous silica structures were formed in acid media (pH<1) with HCl, HBr, HI, HNO3, H2SO4, or H3PO4 acids. In Zhao, et al., Adv. Mater, 10, the oligomeric silica sol-gel was then added into a mixture of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers or alkyl poly(ethylene oxide) and inorganic metal precursor compound in water and ethanol. The final composition of this mixture was (in molar ratio) 0.0068-0.034 EO20PO70EO20 triblock copolymer:0.51 to about 3.0 inorganic metal compound:1 tetraethylorthoxysilane (TEOS):11-50 ethanol (EtOH):0.002-0.04 HCl:18-65 H2O.
Besides ethanol, other organic solvents, such as methanol, 1,4-dioxane, tetrahydrofuran (THF), CH3CN, and propanol, can be used.
To produce mesoporous materials, the block copolymer species can be removed from the inorganic/organic composite by calcination or solvent extraction treatments. For example, calcination in air or oxygen at temperatures from 140 C to 500 C, depending on time and material morphology, has been used to oxidize the block copolymer species, resulting in mesoporous solids [Zhao, D. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1998, 120 6024]. Alternatively, the block copolymer species can be removed by reflux extraction using a suitable solvent, such as ethanol [Zhao, D. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1998, 120 6024].
As defined herein, an optically responsive agent is a substance which absorbs and/or emits lights, or changes intensity, polarization, or color in response to some stimulus, e.g. transmitted light or a change in pH or oxidation state. Optically responsive agents can be incorporated as soluble low-molecular-weight dye species, as surfactant species containing molecular dye functionalities, as dyes covalently anchored to the inorganic network, as ionic species, or as adsorbed species introduced after block copolymer extraction/calcination. Preferred optically responsive agents include fluorscein, rhodamine, spirooxazine, porphyrin, conjugated organics, organometallic/charge transfer complexes, rare-earth species and their derivatives. More preferably, the optically responsive agent is fluoroscein isothiocyanate, fluoroscien isothyocyanate derivatized with 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane, rhodamine 6G, tetraphenylporphyrin or ruthenium tris-bipyridine.
The optically responsive agent is generally present in the self-assembling precursor solution at a concentration of about 0.1 wt % to about 10 wt %; preferably about 0.25 wt % to about 5 wt %; more preferably at greater than about 0.5 wt %, and most preferably at greater than about 1 wt %.
The macroscopic form of the material is determined by the processing conditions employed, which can be modified to yield transparent bulk monoliths, films formed by spray-, dip- or spin-coating [Zhao, D.; Yang, P., et al, supra], ink-jet printing, soft lithographic patterning [Yang, P.; Wirnsberger, G., et al, supra ], microfibers [Zhou, H. S.; Honma, I., et al, supra], drawn fibers [Yang, P.; Zhao, D., et al, supra ], and coatings.
Macroscopic structures are prepared by combining concurrently or sequentially the techniques of micromolding, dip- or spin-coating and cooperative self-assembly of hydrolyzed inorganic species and amphiphilic block copolymers. The mold used in the following examples was a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) mold. The procedure for making the mold is outlined in Y. Xia, et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 37, 550 (1998). The patterned structures of the resulting materials can have a thicknesses from submicron to microns, depending on the relief depth of the micromold used. One skilled in the art may practice the invention using any mold having micron scale features.
The substrate used in the following examples was a freshly cleaned silicon wafer. Extensions to other conducting, semiconducting, or insulating substrates, such as doped silicon, glass, quartz, and polymers, may be considered obvious to those skilled in the art.
The important new features of these materials are the combination of novel optical, sensing, mechanical, thermal, morphological, and processing properties that result from the incorporation of optically responsive agents into transparent nano/mesophase-separated inorganic/block-copolymer composites or transparent nano/mesostructured inorganic solids.
By incorporating such optical functionalities into hybrid inorganic/organic nano/mesophase heterogeneities, aggregation of dye species is significantly reduced, leading to high dye dispersions and, thus, the incorporation of higher dye concentrations. As a consequence, significantly lower thresholds are observed for both amplified spontaneous emission and lasing, compared to prior art materials, such as sol-gel-derived glasses, which have been so far the predominant host materials used for dispersion and isolation of dye molecules in solid-state matrices. This is clearly evidenced by the much higher quantum yields for rhodamine 6G when incorporated in mesostructured SiO2/block copolymer composites, compared to sol-gel-derived glasses (up to one order of magnitude). Also, when preparing rhodamine-6G-doped glasses by starting from the same precursor solutions without block-copolymer surfactant species, UV/Vis (ultraviolet/visible) spectroscopy indicates a much higher concentration of dimers in the final solid products. As shown in FIG. 1(a), a UV/Vis band is observed at 490 nm corresponding to the dimer species [Hungerford, G.; Suhling, K.; Ferreira, J. A., J. Photochem. Photobiology 1999, 129, 71], which is of much lower intensity relative to the monomer, than in dye-doped sol-gel glasses. This favorable effect can be used to produce a very-low-threshold laser material [Zhao, D.; Yang, P., et al, supra]. FIG. 1(b) shows UV/Vis spectra for transparent mesostructured/P123 composites containing R6G in different concentrations.
An example is given in
The hybrid nature of the mesostructured inorganic/organic composites provides different local regions into which optically responsive species can be incorporated. For example, photochromic dyes like spirooxazines (the structure of spirooxazine is shown in
Other optically responsive species, such as optical limiting dyes for laser safety, also benefit from the hybrid nature of these composites; interactions with the rigid inorganic network (e.g., silica) impart considerably increased damage resistance compared to dye species that are incorporated in polymeric host materials. For example, incorporation of tetraphenylporphyrin dye species in transparent silica/F127 block-copolymer composite monoliths yields materials with attractive optical limiting properties, as shown in FIG. 6. Increasing the concentration of the amphiphilic structure-directing surfactant polymer species from 0 to 60 wt % increases the dispersion of the porphyrin dye in the monoliths, diminishing undesirable aggregation of the dye species into macroscopic domains. As the intensity of incident laser light is increased, the materials with higher dye dispersions yield lower transmissions of the incident light [FIG. 6(a)], though are more prone to long-term damage (FIG. 6(b)]. An optimum concentration of approximately 50 wt % F127 yields an acceptable combination of optical limiting and damage resistance properties. While partial nanophase-separation of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions is necessary for enhancing dye solubility, high degrees of long-range mesoscopic order are not necessarily required and in this application may not be desirable.
Covalent attachment of dye moieties to the inorganic framework walls after calcination allows removal of the surfactant species to produce mesoporosity without loss of material transparency and thus maintenance of desirable optical properties. Such highly mesoporous materials are ideal candidates for solid-state sensors, where the sensing molecules/complexes/ions can be transported quickly to the active sensing moiety. This can result in sub-second to second response times, an enormous improvement over prior state-of-the-art sol-gel-derived solid-state sensors, for which tens of seconds to minutes response times are typical, because of diffusion limitations through the dense glass. As an example, a fluorescein derivative was incorporated in a silica/block copolymer mesostructured thin film by direct synthesis. After removal of the surfactant, the films showed excellent sensitivity as pH sensors. As shown in
It is also possible to introduce inorganic complexes, organic dyes, or rare-earth species onto the inner walls of high-surface-area mesostructured porous materials. This procedure results in a highly porous matrix with adjustable concentrations of adsorbed molecules that can act, for example, as sensing species. One such example is the post-synthesis deposition of Ru(bipy)3 2+, which yields a material that is a very fast (4 s) oxygen sensor (FIG. 5).
Other applications rely on framework compositions other than silica, e.g., the deposition of sensitizers (energy harvesting and transferring molecules) onto mesoporous TiO2 films. Other types of mesoporous semiconducting oxides, nitrides, or sulfides could be treated in the same way. Applications to pH and oxygen detection have been demonstrated and obvious extensions to other types of optical sensing of adsorbed gases or solution-phase species are apparent.
III. Description of the Best Ways to Practice Invention
Depending on the specific applications above, different preparation strategies for introducing optical functionalities in mesostructured inorganic-organic composite or porous inorganic materials will be preferred, as outlined below.
A. Solubilization of Optically Responsive Species
Optically responsive species can be incorporated into mesostructured inorganic-organic composite or porous inorganic materials by mixing the dye species directly into the synthesis mixture before the mixture is further processed. Typical synthesis mixtures consist of tetraethoxysilane:block-copolymer:ethanol:HCl:H2O:dye in mole ratios of 1:0.008 ƒ 0.02:20-60:0.01-0.04:5-10:0-0.006. A variety of block-copolymers can be used for these syntheses, including, but are not limited to, amphiphilic Pluronic (P123, F127, etc.) and Tetronic surfactants [Pluronic and Tetronic are registered trademarks of BASF]. Clear solutions are obtained when the above synthesis mixtures are refluxed for one to several hours. The optically responsive species can be incorporated into different regions of the heterogeneous mesostructured products, for example into hydrophilic or hydrophobic regions of the materials, depending on thermodynamic or kinetic factors, such as the species' relative solubilities and diffusion properties.
Afterwards, the synthesis mixture can be processed into different macroscopic shapes. Examples include the drawing of fibers, molding or extrusion of monoliths, and coating of substrates by dip-coating, spin-coating, or patterning, for example by using soft lithography methods. Optical fibers (with diameters in the μm to mm range) can be coated by using such methods.
The time required for the formation of a mesostructured, dye-doped composite material depends on the processing conditions, and can range from seconds to several hours (3 h for thin films prepared with F127).
B. Covalent Attachment of Optically Responsive Species
Optically responsive species can be incorporated into mesostructured inorganic-organic composites or porous inorganic materials by direct covalent attachment of the optically responsive species to one or more of the components within the material. This requires that the optical responsive species be functionalized to form covalent bonds, for example, to the inorganic framework, the block copolymer species or other components in the mesostructured system. Such bonds can be formed the inorganic framework, within different regions of nanophase-separated block copolymer species, or at interfaces between these components.
A typical example is the incorporation of modified fluoresceinisothiocyanate dye species into mesostructured silica/P123 (EO20PO70EO20) composite by covalent attachment of the dye to the silica framework. Fluoresceinisothiocyanate was used as pH-sensitive dye and was derivatized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane to permit covalent bonding with the silica framework. Typically, 7 mg of fluoresceinisothiocyanate were dissolved in 20.4 g of ethanol and allowed to react with 10 mg of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane for 3 h. Afterwards, 2.0 g of the block-copolymer F127 [poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide), (EO)106(PO)70(EO)106, BASF], 1.6 g H2O, 0.25 g HCl (2 n) and 8.5 g tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) were added. This solution had a molar composition of TEOS:F127:H2O:HCl:FTIC:APTS:EtOH=1:4-10−3:2.76:0.012:4.16-10−4:1.1-10−3:13.1 and was refluxed for one hour. After the solution cooled to room temperature, thin films were prepared by dip-coating or spin-coating. Dip-coated films were withdrawn from solutions at a rate of 10 cm/min, resulting in 900-nm thick films coated over an area of 2.5æ2.5 cm2. Spin-coated films (1500 nm) tended to possess more uniform thicknesses (variations of 5%), compared to dip-coated films, as measured by profilometry. The XRD patterns obtained from the spin-cast materials exhibited several sharp low-angle peaks (up to seven, see FIG. 7), demonstrating that high degrees of mesoscopic ordering are preserved even after removal of the block-copolymer species (by calcination or solvent extraction). The intensities of IR bands in the range of 2700-3000 cm−1, corresponding to C-H vibrations, are greatly reduced, confirming that the surfactants were removed essentially completely by this treatment.
Advantage of covalent attachment of the optically responsive species within the mesostructured inorganic-organic composites or porous inorganic materials is that undesirable leaching of the optical species is prevented. Materials in this class, with anchored dyes, highly porous mesostructures and optical transparency, are expected to find use as fast chemical sensors, where the porosity enables rapid diffusion of the molecules/ions to be sensed to the active detection sites. This general procedure was used to prepare the fluorescein-doped mesoporous silica thin film, whose pH-dependent photoluminescence response is shown in FIG. 4.
C. Post-synthesis Incorporation of Optically Responsive Species
Another route to optical solid-state sensors is to synthesize the mesostructured material first (as described above), remove the polymer surfactant species (either by calcination or extraction), and then use the resulting high surface area mesoporous oxide to incorporate molecules by adsorption or ion exchange. This method is similarly useful for the preparation of mesoporous sensing materials containing attached/deposited dye species that optically respond to targeted guest molecules. This general procedure was used to prepare the Ru(bipy)3 3+-doped mesostructured silica thin film, whose oxygen-dependent response is shown in FIG. 5.
Optically or redox responsive species can be introduced into a mesoporous inorganic solid (prepared as described above), for example, by ion-exchanging appropriate salts (e.g., halides) for protons associated with framework silanol groups or by chemical adsorption of the responsive species from the gas-phase or from solution.
D. Transparent Pluronic/Silica Composite Monoliths
Materials like those shown in
E. Preparation of a Wave Guide
Rhodamine-6G-doped mesostructured silica was prepared from an acidic sol-gel solution using amphiphilic block copolymers, such as EO20PO70EO20 (P123) and EO106PO70EO106 (F127). Using a low refractive index (n1.2) mesoporous SiO2 as a substrate, the synthesis was combined with soft lithography to produce high-quality waveguides. This enables efficient waveguiding in the soft-lithographically-pattered rhodamine-6G-doped mesostructured silica/block copolymer composites, which have a higher refractive index than the mesoporous substrate or air. X-ray diffraction patterns and transmission electron microscopy revealed hexagonal mesophases, whose longitudinal cylinder axes were aligned predominantly parallel to the substrate plane. For samples made by micromolding-in-capillaries (MIMIC), the longitudinal axes were also aligned along the longitudinal waveguide axes. Samples made by micromolding (MIM) also possess a high mesostructural order, though in the absence of an aligning flow field, their long range ordering (ca. several hundred nanometers) is lower than for samples processed using the MIMIC technique.
When optically pumped, the rhodamine-6G-doped waveguides exhibited amplified spontaneous emission with thresholds as low as 5 kW-cm−2, substantially lower than rhodamine-6G-doped sol-gel glasses and ORMOSILS. This is attributed to the ability of the polymeric surfactant to co-assemble with the dye molecules, thereby leading to high dye dispersions and reduced dye dimerization. Additionally, rhodamine 6G showed good photostablility in the mesostructured waveguides, similar to that of rhodamine 6G in non-mesostructured organically modified silicates.
1. Sample Preparation:
Patterned mesostructured silica/PEO-PPO-PEO waveguides containing optically responsive species were prepared on mesoporous silica thin film substrates cast on a silicon surface, as follows. Solutions of the same composition previously used for mesostructured (including mesoporous) film preparation by dip-coating [Aksay, I. A., et al, supra] were spin-coated on silicon wafers (2000 rpm) to produce films with thicknesses of about 1 μm. These films were calcined by heating them to 673 K within 4 h and holding them at this temperature for 4 h.
After cooling, waveguide structures were patterned on top of these mesoporous silica films by soft lithographic methods using polydimethoxysilane (PDMS) stamps to organize macroscopically a polymerizing silica sol-gel mixture in the presence of mesostructure-directing P123 triblock copolymer species. For the patterning of dye-doped waveguide arrays, the block copolymer-silica mesophases had the following compositions: EO20PO70EO20 (P123):tetraethoxysilane (TEOS):EtOH:H2O HCl:R6G=0.0172:1.00:22.15:5.00:0.02:0.001-0.006 (in molar ratios). Solutions were prepared by combining P123, EtOH, H2O, HCl, and TEOS and refluxing the resulting clear solution for 1 h. After the solution was cooled, R6G was added and the solution was stirred for an additional hour. For the waveguides prepared with EO106PO70EO106 (F127), the same mass of surfactant was used as in the P123 preparations. For materials synthesized using either P123 or F127, the concentration of the R6G dye species was varied, ranging from about 0.25 wt % to 1.75 wt % in the final solid. The final R6G concentrations in the solids are reported with respect to the amount of P123 and SiO2 (assuming that TEOS fully hydrolyzed and condensed into SiO2).
Patterning was performed by using either micromolding (MIM) or micromolding-incapillaries (MIMIC) techniques to produce surface replicas of the relief patterns of the PDMS stamp. [Wu, J., et al, supra; Dag, O., et al, supra; and Yang, P.; Wirnsberger, G., et al, supra. ] For MIM, a drop of the solution described above was placed on the mesoporous silica film support, covered by a stripe-patterned PDMS stamp, and a slight pressure applied to dewet the surfaces between the individual stripes. In the case of MIMIC, the PDMS stamp was first placed on the mesoporous silica film support, a drop of solution was placed at both ends of the stamp, and the line arrays were allowed to fill by capillary flow. [Wu, J., et al, supra] No cleanroom facilities were used during the waveguide preparations.
2. Characterization Measurements
Prior to characterization, the waveguide patterns were cleaved to remove thick corrugated regions that formed near the edges of the PDMS patterns. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were obtained on a Scintag diffractometer. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) were recorded on a JEOL 6300-F after sputtering the samples with gold. Film thicknesses where measured with a DEKTAK profiler. Photo luminescence spectra were recorded in a 90¯ setup (see below). Optical measurements were performed using light from the second harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser (532 nm, about 10 ns pulse width, 10 Hz repetition rate), which was passed through calibrated neutral density filters and an adjustable slit and focused by a cylindrical lens onto the sample (typically to an area of 2 mmæ0.5 min). Light emerging from the end of the waveguides was collected by a cylindrical lens and focused on the entrance slit of a 0.25 in monochromator (150 grooves/mm). For signal detection, a liquid-nitrogen-cooled CCD detector was used. As a rule, the waveguide patterns were used for measurements between hours and three days after their preparation.
3. Mesostructural Ordering and Alignment
Mesostructured inorganic/organic composites can be processed using soft lithography techniques, for example, MIM and MIMIC methods, to produce patterned mesostructured waveguides. Such approaches have been used to produce arrays of several-millimeter-long stripe features with smooth surfaces and few macroscopic defects, as shown in the SEM images of FIG. 10. By using poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) stamp molds with different line spacings, the distances between the individual waveguides were adjusted (
Using P123 as the structure-directing surfactant species and MIMIC to form the line patterns, highly ordered hexagonal mesostructured waveguides are produced. As shown in
For samples produced using the MIMIC method, TEM (
Similar to the mesostructured silica/block copolymer waveguides prepared using P123, MIMIC processing of F127/silica mixtures yield waveguides that have excellent long range order, again with channel alignment parallel to the waveguide axes. However, longer length-scale ordering (ca. several hundred nanometers) appears to be somewhat less than when MIM is used. Under capillary flow conditions, the cylindrical aggregates of the hexagonal mesostructure orient along the flow direction, as similarly found for dip-coated films. [Zhao, D.; Yang, P., et al, supra.] This is not the case when samples are prepared by the MIM technique, where the cylindrical aggregates align mainly parallel to the substrate plane, but are less well orientationally ordered in the absence of the additional capillary shear flow field.
4. Amplified Spontaneous Emission
Due to the low refractive index of the mesostructured block-copolymer-silica waveguides (n1.43), waveguiding cannot be achieved on supports with higher indices of refraction, such as commonly used silicon (n=3.5) or silica glass (n=1.51). However, low-refractive-index mesoporous silica films can be used as support substrates. Such films are conveniently prepared from mesostructured block-copolymer-SiO2 thin films (via dip- or spin-coating) to produce mesostructured porous silica films with thicknesses of about 0.5 μm after calcination. XRD patterns of an example of an as-synthesized film show several d100 peaks indicative of a preferred alignment of the hexagonal structure in the film plane, [Zhao, D.; Yang, P., et al, supra], which is preserved following calcination, though ordering is diminished. The thin supporting films are mesoporous and possess low refractive indices n=1.15 to 1.3, depending on the porosity. Waveguiding results within the composite line patterns from internal reflection of light at the lower refractive index mesoporous SiO2 and the air interfaces. Waveguide modeling shows that around 20 modes are supported in this step-index waveguide structure.
When the R6G-doped waveguides are exposed to the second harmonic light of a Nd:YAG laser (532 nm) in a 90¯ geometry (FIG. 13), at low light intensities (0.8 kW-cm−2) a broad photoluminescence spectrum is observed with a full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) of around 50 nm. As the excitation irradiance increases, however, the spectrum begins to narrow and finally a gain-narrowed band with a FWHM of 7-8 nm is obtained (
To establish unambiguously that the observed gain-narrowing behavior is due to ASE, a type of mirrorless lasing, we performed a variable stripe experiment, in which the length of the excitation stripes (i.e., the waveguide lengths) were varied. [Vlasov, Yu. A.; Luterova, K.; Pelant, I.; Hdnerlage, B.; Astratov, V. N.; Appl. Phys. Lett; 1997, 71, 1616; and McGehee, M. D.; Gupta, R.; Veenstra, S.; Miller, K. E.; Diaz-Garcia, M. A.; Heeger, A J, J. Phys. Rev. B, 1998, 58, 7035] The results in
The loss in the R6G-doped mesostructured silica waveguides at the ASE wavelength was determined by varying the waveguide/excitation stripe length and monitoring the output emerging from the end. [McGehee, M. D., et al, supra.] In these experiments, the excitation irradiance was well above the threshold. The intensity, I, of the light emerging from the end of the waveguides when the waveguide/excitation stripe is moved a distance, x, from the end (see
5. Photostability
The photostability and material lifetime of optical materials are important performance properties, particularly in laser systems. For comparison, the photostabilities of R6G incorporated in mesostructured silica/PEO-PPO-PEO composites was compared to the photostability of R6G incorporated into inorganic or organic host matrices, including sol-gel-derived silica glass and polymers. Whereas the photostability of R6G was reported to be very low under laser action in doped inorganic salts, such as potassium sulfate (K2SO4), it is higher in polymeric hosts [such as poly(methylmethacrylate)] and significantly higher in sol-gel-derived oxide materials. An exact comparison is difficult, because different measurement configurations (e.g., laser action by ASE or realization of a laser cavity) or macroscopic shapes of the samples (e.g., monoliths or thin films) have been used. However, the literature data generally reveal that the photostability of R6G is substantially better in sol-gel-derived Al2O3 and silica than in organic polymers. [Zink, J. I., et al, supra; Knobbe, E. T., et al, supra; and Dunn, B.; Zink, J. I.; J. Mater. Chem. 1991, 1, 903.] This was also evidenced in the only study of which we are aware that focused on the stability of four dyes in different host materials under nearly identical conditions. [Rahn, M. D.; King, T. A.; Appl. Opt. 1995, 34, 8260.]
Extensive work during the last decade to improve photostability led to the development of ORMOSILs as laser-dye host materials. [Zink, J. I., et al, supra; and Knobbe, E. T., et al, supra.] Compared to these materials, dye-doped mesostructured silica/block-copolymer waveguides possess similar photostabilities, leading to similar lifetimes.
6. Effect of Dye Concentration and Surfactant
Besides improved photostability and material robustness compared to organic hosts, a further advantage of mesostructured inorganic-block copolymer composites is their superior performance with regard to the ASE threshold, compared to sol-gel-derived glasses. Under otherwise identical conditions (processing conditions, dye and silica compositions), R6G-doped amorphous silica waveguides (without copolymer species) have thresholds (200 kW-cm−2) that are more than an order of magnitude higher than those measured for the mesostructured R6G-doped silica/PEO-PPO-PEO block copolymer composites reported in this study. The thresholds of the copolymer-free amorphous silica host materials are significantly higher than for the mesostructured silica/PEO-PPO-PEO hosts and for cetyltrimethylammonium-derived mesostructured fibers. In agreement with these results, previous investigations on dense silica systems [Rahn, M. D., et al, supra] or silica/titania thin films [Yanagi, H., et al, supra] report much higher thresholds.
The low thresholds in the mesostructured silica/PEO-PPO-PEO systems are attributed to the capability of the block copolymer surfactant species to promote a high dye-dispersion and isolation, which reduces undesirable dimerization and resultant self-quenching. This is supported by UV/vis spectra on thin films, which show much lower dimer absorption, in comparison with R6G-doped SiO2 thin films. In addition, the ASE thresholds measured in the mesostructured silica/PEO-PPO-PEO composites depend on the architecture of the block copolymer species. For example, ASE thresholds of 25 kW-cm−2 are reproducibly measured for mesostructured silica/P123 composites containing 0.58 wt % R6G, compared to 35 kW-cm−2 for mesostructured silica/F127 composites. The P123 block copolymers, (EO)20(PO)70(EO)20, have shorter hydrophilic poly(ethyleneoxide) segments that appear to contribute to enhanced dispersion of the dye species in the mesostructured composites, compared to F127, (EO)106(PO)70(EO)106. Very recently, a high dye-dispersion has been proposed for phthalocyanin-doped small-pore mesostructured materials, as well. [Zhou, H. S.; Honma, I., et al, supra; Zhou, H. S.; Sasabe, H.; Honma, I.; J. Mater. Chem. 1998, 8, 515; and Ganschow, M.; W—hrle, D.; Schulz-Ekloff, G. J. Porphyrins Phthalocyanins 1999, 3, 299.] Preliminary experimental results indicate that the block copolymer species appear to interact with the dye molecules, playing an important and beneficial role in preventing aggregation. In a similar context, surfactants have long been used in solution to suppress dye dimerization. [Schofer, F. P. (Ed.), Topics in Applied Physics, Dye Lasers, Vol. 1, Springer-Verlag,]
The improved dispersion of R6G molecules in the transparent mesostructured silica/block-copolymer composites allows substantially higher R6G concentrations to be incorporated in the composites without undesirable aggregation or macroscopic phase separation (which leads to opacity.) Dye concentrations up to 1.75 wt % were incorporated, leading to significantly lower ASE thresholds to 5 kW-cm−2 (FIG. 17). The threshold values compare well, even with the best polymers known to date: about 0.1-0.5 kW-cm−2 [e.g. Gupta, R. et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 1998, 73, 3492; Berggren, A.; et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 1997, 71, 2230; Rahn, M. D.; King, T. A.; Appl. Opt., 1995, 34, 8260]. Such low thresholds observed for the mesostructured silica/block-copolymer composites indicate the favorable effect that the PEO-PPO-PEO species have on promoting high dye solubility, suppressing undesirable dye dimerization, and leading to isolated R6G molecules and improved optical performance.
F. Conclusions
High quality mesostructured inorganic/block-copolymer waveguides can be prepared rapidly by combining soft lithographic methods with acidic sol-gel chemistry in the presence of structure-directing amphiphilic triblock copolymers. Waveguiding in these structures is enabled by the use of low-refractive index mesoporous SiO2 supports, which were spin-cast and calcined on a silicon substrate. [We also patterned mesostructured waveguides directly on silicon. The threshold increased to 100 kW-cm−2 (dye concentration of 0.5 wt %)] Due to the convenient preparation procedure, high stability, and good adhesive properties for other materials, we expect that this type of support could find wide application where high-quality low refractive index materials are needed.
Control of the optically responsive species' local environments by may be rationally designed into the composite by exploiting selective partitioning of the optical species among different nanophase-separated components. Laser dyes can be incorporated in a simple one-step synthesis. The surfactants that are present in the mesostructures in high concentrations (about 50% of the total weight) promote desirable dispersion of the rhodamine 6G dye species, thus reducing unwanted dye aggregation. This, in turn, results in the high quantum yields and low thresholds observed in these systems. The fact that non-ionic surfactants with different compositions lead to materials with different optical properties, suggests that the dye molecules are co-assembled with the surfactant and that they are not occludedat least not exclusivelywithin the inorganic part.
Dye-doped block-copolymer/silica mesostructured composites are a promising class of compounds for optical applications. Their mesoscopically ordered structures, together with the inorganic/organic hybrid compositions, allows the local environment of included laser dye species to be controlled. Although this is one of the first reports on laser-like emission in mesostructured hosts, the relatively low thresholds observed are promising for the future. The optimization of these materials, such as through reduced dye self-absorption, the use of specifically designed surfactants, selection of different inorganic framework compositions and/or development of low-defect waveguide surfaces, can be anticipated to lead to dye/host systems with improved optical properties and performance.
IV. Possible Modifications and Variations
It is likely that optimization of the composition, structure, and processing conditions of mesostructured inorganic/block-copolymer composites and porous inorganic systems will lead to further improvements in their optical properties and performances. In addition to the methods and applications outlined above, we propose the following modifications and extensions to the preparation and use of novel inorganic/organic mesostructured/mesoporous materials technology for optical and sensing applications. The following will be obvious to those skilled in the art based on the discoveries cited herein and include:
The materials presented here have numerous advantages in comparison to currently available compounds and known materials.
Collectively these materials provide new ways to produce complex multicomponent materials with synergistic combinations of optical and material properties for novel applications.
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Need a new phone, MUST sync with Exchange
Tuesday 17th of May 2011
Hello everyone,I have been browsing the forum for a little while now trying to figure out if an Android phone is a good option for me. I am a heavy Exchange user (including notes and tasks). I am currently using a Windows Mobile phone and had planned to upgrade to a Windows Phone 7 phone, but it appears MS has not done the best job in the world on it. So, I am now looking at Android.I have been reading up on it and it sounds like Android has built in functionality to sync Contacts, Email, and Calendars with an Exchange server. However, it does not handle tasks or notes and its full featured functionality in the contacts and calendar is in question.I see where a lot of people recommend Touchdown, so I contacted them. But got a little scared after talking to them because it sounds much like an Outlook program on my phone, but may actually lack the ability to truly integrate with my phone's built in features. For instance, they told me that to have my Exchange Contacts show up in the phone's Contact list (so I could quickly/easily call them and so their name would appear with caller I
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Sync with outlook? - Page 2
Monday 28th of June 2010
Bear in mind...as you read through all the various threads and workarounds...Android was not designed to sync to outlook...period. Outlook is a client that allows you to send and retrieve emails and calendars from and to a server. Be it an exchange server or some other SMTP/POP3, IMAP or whatever protocol is used by that server. Droid comes with Corporate Mail which is a client that allows you to send and retrieve emails and calendars from and to a server...be it exchange or gmail or some other server software ... There should be a server between your desktop and the droid for it to work the way it was designed. Client to Client sync is not supported on the Droid. That's not to say that there is not an app on the market that does this type of sync for you. And Droid does have the ability to set up an account based on SMTP/POP3. But as far as syncing...you won't get a sync setup that is as clean as the cloud system that Droid was designed around. One server where multiple clients can connect and share the same database. Everything stored on the server so each client sees the same data
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Goggle Nexus Contact Sync Issue
Thursday 06th of December 2012
I've just joined the Android team with a Google Nexus (GT-i9250). Although, I have linked my Google account with the phone and it syncs all the remaining elements, Contacts is the one thing it does not and ends up with the msg: "Sync is currently experiencing problems. It will be back shortly". I have a standard Nexus without any upgrades or off-market changes and it does not have an exchange server connected to it. Two others points of concern: 1. Can I sync the GNexus with Outlook (contacts) via my laptops, using Samsung Kite or another sofware? 2. The phone is asking me to upgrade to Jellybean 4.1 - do I accept and if so, would I lose my data (pics and contacts)? Thank you for all your help and hopefully I will be happy camper when it comes to the Droid family!
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Enterprise Server for Sprint HTC Android?
Saturday 25th of September 2010
Wife has to carry two phones because new employer only supports BlackBerry and Iphone with Enterprise Server... 1. Is there an enterprise Server version and service for Sprint Android? 2. Does the IT deparment there need to run something extra on their servers to support Android Enterprise? Big deal?3. What exactly does Enterprise server introduce? Does it mean they can add a policy to her phone? Will they be able to monitor phone activity? What activity? Calls?, Internet traffic? SMS? Side question. If I am able to add a corporate email address to the phone (not manually) and it adds the account via pop (automatically) and it works but only with 30 minute get refreshes and only for email, no calendars or contacts refreshing. Will it also likely work if I add it manually through exchange active sync on the phone ? I have not tried since I don't know the main exchange server address. Does this tie into Enterprise server in any way? When Enterprise server is enabled, you won't be able to add an email via pop or activesync right?unless they set it up and you have enterprise level serv
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Sync with Outlook? - Page 6
Monday 09th of November 2009
Has anyone else taken a look at Dataviz's RoadSync? Right now I am running the 14 day test trial and it seems to be working fairly well for me. It sets up a seperate email icon for your Exchange email and calendar. It does bring your contact directly into the native contact list. The only downside that I have expierenced is that when it was pulling in the contacts from the Exchange server, it merged several contacts in to one and actually deleted a few. I was able to just put them back into my contact list from the Deleted Items. Right now they are offering the software for $9.99 once the trial period is up. It is a nice prince point. RoadSync - Access Outlook E-mail on Your Android-powered Phone Wirelessly!
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Sync Exchange, outlook and phone
Wednesday 11th of January 2012
I am trying to sync my outlook Calendar, contacts and tasks between my work machine (Exchange/outlook), my personal machine (Outlook), and my Android phone (HTC - Evo 3D).Previously, I used my old Motorola phone (which I only use for this sync) to sync outlook to outlook between my laptops, and then used Touchdown to sync between exchange and my android cell phone. I could still do this EXCEPT that my new client's laptop does not sync with my Motorola phone. This means that touchdown on my Android phone still syncs with my work exchange server, but I don't know how to get my calendar, contacts and tasks from my personal computer to my work computer. Well, I know how to do it manually, but that is very painful -- export to a file and transfer over. ... although, I may resort to that if I cannot find another way.Please help!
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What is a good MS Exchange app for Tasks/To Do list?
Saturday 31st of August 2013
What is a good MS Exchange app for Tasks/To Do list? - Does it Sync well with Exchange server?- Does it allow Task/To Do's to be created and modified from the Android smartphone?- What type of widget does it have, Full Screen, Partial Screen?
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Android 4.4 Exchange Server: Missing and duplicated calendar events
Wednesday 15th of January 2014
I just got a Motorola Moto X with Android 4.4. I set up my work's Exchange Server account on my phone and it syncs email correctly. However, most calendar events are missing. The calendar events that do appear on my phone begin to duplicate every time the phone syncs to the server. These duplicates do not appear when I access my calendar online or on my laptop. The only trend I see is that any event added after I got my new phone will sync and then duplicate. Older events either do not sync at all, or do sync but then don't duplicate. Touchdown does work correctly, but I also use Google Calendar so I need all my events to be access by the Android's native calendar application, so Touchdown is not the solution for me. I have already done the following with no success:1. Deleted and re-created the Exchange account on my phone.2. Logged into the web interface for my work's owa server and deleted extra devices/phones configured to sync to the server (based on this thread: )3. I have already cleared data and caches in my calendar apps, then re-synced. Any advice? It's a massive bummer fo
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Problems with My Exchange Account
Friday 31st of January 2014
I am hoping Android 4.4.2 drops soon as I cannot connect to my office Exchange account. I heard 4.4.2 will address this issue.I even tried MailWise Beta which seems like a great Email client. Does anyone know where I can send a complaint to at Motorola? I would think this is a big issue for some people. I know not everyone is affected which seems strange.My office is running Exchange Server 2010 and No Certificates are required. The error message returned is that I don't have Permission to Sync with the Server. My office Administrator says my settings are correct. Thanks for any comments. -Rich
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No sync w/exchange server when traveling
Thursday 07th of August 2014
Using a new Moto X with android version 4.4.2. Every time I land in a different city, my phone will no longer sync with the exchange server. So far this has happened when landing in both Chicago and Ft Lauderdale. I've gone to Sprint stores in both cities and they don't have a clue how to fix it. Have even deleted the account and tried to re-install. Will not connect to the server, no matter what we try. One corporate rep recommended that they replace the phone but that the replacement would be a used phone and that it would take 3 days to get one. By that time, my business meetings are over in that city and I'm still without email on my phone. Have also tried to uses Outlook OWA. It grabs a few emails from 4-6 months ago, and then 1 or 2 current ones. Then it refuses to show any more new emails in the inbox. It does show recent sent emails but not new ones. I end up being tied to my laptop and wifi networks to communicate with the office and customers. Once I get back home, I can go back in and re-create the email account and it works, although Outlook OWA still doesn't work on the
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Piracy in TV is increasing, as just about every Emmy-nominated show suffers from illegal downloads.
Corporate tax reform is an economic competitiveness issue.
The "right to be forgotten" may have led to more privacy concerns than intended.
The U.S. manufacturing sector has been losing jobs at an alarming rate since 2000.
Since 1999, the United States has suffered a 13 percent decline in triadic patent filings.
Slow US productivity growth reinforces the need for more public investment in R&D.
The renewal of African Growth and Opportunity Act presents an opportunity to strengthen it.
The U.S. must create a more competitive tax code to drive domestic investment and global competitiveness.
China's efforts to promote domestic IT production by harassing U.S. companies needs to be met with a strong response.
DOJ should rework the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees to assist in modernizing the way music copyrights are licensed in the digital age.
Robert Atkinson presented "Brazil in the Global Innovation System" at conferences in Sao Paulo and...
Richard Bennett will discuss the transition to all-IP networks as part of the panel discussion "...
Richard Bennett will present on a panel on the IP transition.
Stephen Ezell presented on strengthening the US-EU Collaboration to the EU-NJ Business Forum on Technology...
Daniel Castro will be part of the EAC discussion on the results of grant funded work and recent innovations...
Stephen Ezell presented on the importance of the global innovation and competitiveness race at the 2013...
Senior Analyst Matthew Stepp will present as part of the 2013 Villanova Environmental Law Journal Annual...
ITIF president Rob Atkinson presented the keynote address at the 2013 NACFAM conference.
ITIF Senior Analyst Daniel Castro will be presenting at the Bahrain International eGovernment Forum 2013.
ITIF president Rob Atkinson will deliver the keynote address at the STGlobal Conference.
COPPA restricts the development of a robust Internet ecosystem for children and should not be strengthened.
Strong leadership in cloud computing is necessary to remain globally competitive, advance technology in the...
The FCC should not extend its authority to regulate the software installed on mobile devices.
The implications for the U.S. economy as a result of China's strategic decisions should be clear.
Testimony before House Energy and Commerce Committee on U.S. manufacturing.
House Subcommittee Testimony Avoiding the Spectrum Crunch: Growing the Wireless Economy through Innovation
Spectrum policy needs to realign spectrum into a smaller number of larger allocations for general-purpose...
ITIF comments on the NTIA multistakeholder process to develop consumer data privacy codes of conduct.
The tax code should reduce ineffective exemptions and incentives while expanding effective ones focused on...
Regulators should create policies that protect privacy while minimizing burdens on businesses.
ITIF filed comments with the FCC in favor of Verizon's proposed purchase of spectrum licenses from a...
Conventional economics provides an increasingly poor guide for economic policy and should be replaced by an evolutionary economics framework.
Rob Atkinson contributed the chapter "Public Policy, Innovation and New Technologies" to the textbook "Guide to U.S. Economic Policy."
Robert Atkinson contributed the chapter "Innovation in Cities and Innovation by Cities" for the book "Creating Competitiveness: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Polices for Growth."
In a chapter for the new book Practicing Sustainability, Rob Atkinson wrote about sustainability from an innovation economics perspective.
"Innovation Economics: The Race for Global Advantage." This new book delivers a critical wake-up call: a fierce global race for innovation advantage is under way and the United States is running the risk of losing.
Daniel Castro contributed a chapter titled "U.S. Federal Cybersecurity Policy" in the book "Cybersecurity: Public Sector Threats and Responses."
Rob Atkinson contributed a chapter titled chapter "Who's Who in Internet Politics" for the book "The Next Digital Decade: Essays on the Future of the Internet."
Supply-Side Follies: Why Conservative Economics Fails, Liberal Economics Falters, and Innovation Economics is the Answer
Supply-Side Follies methodically debunks the common assumptions of conservative economics and demonstrates why it is a flawed doctrine that is setting up the U.S. for a major economic downturn in the near future.
Taking into account the historical record, the book discusses the shortcomings of prevailing liberal and conservative economic doctrines and lays out a new growth economics agenda aimed at maximizing the productivity and innovation-enhancing forces of the New Economy.