Functional Porous Substrates For Attaching Biomolecules
A substrate comprising a microporous microstructure, an interlayer over at least a portion of the microstructure and a functional layer attached to the interlayer, the functional layer having functional sites with a density of at least 50 nanomoles/cm 2 .
1 . A method of measuring biomolecules comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a support layer,
(b) optionally functionalizing said support layer,
(c) disposing an adhesive on at least part of said support layer,
(d) attaching a microporous polytetrafluoroethylene substrate having a node and fibril microstructure to said support layer via said adhesive,
(e) functionalizing said microporous polytetrafluoroethylene substrate to form functional sites,
(f) binding biomolecules to said functional sites, and
(g) detecting the amount of biomolecules bound to said functionalized layer.
2 . A method of preparing a microarray substrate comprising
(a) providing a support layer,
(b) optionally functionalizing said support layer,
(c) disposing an adhesive on at least a part of said support layer,
(d) attaching a microporous polytetrafluoroethylene substrate having a node and fibril microstructure to said support layer via said adhesive, and
e) functionalizing said microporous polytetrafluoroethylene substrate.
3 . A microarray substrate comprising an auto-fluorescence level less than 100 RFU at a wavelength of 635 μm and a functional site density greater than 50 nanomoles/cm 2 .
4 . A microarray substrate comprising an auto-fluorescence level less than 1000 RFU at a wavelength of 532 μm and a functional site density greater than 50 nanomoles/cm 2 .
5 . A microarray substrate comprising a signal to noise ratio for the Cy5 dye greater than 130.
6 . A microarray substrate as defined in claim 5 wherein the signal to noise ratio for the Cy5 dye is greater than 150.
7 . A microarray substrate comprising a signal to noise ratio for the Cy3 dye is greater than 90.
8 . A microarray substrate as defined in claim 7 wherein the signal to noise ratio for the Cy3 dye is greater than 110.
9 . A microarray substrate comprising a 1.5 fold precision level of at least 99%.
10 . A microarray substrate comprising a 1.2 fold precision level of at least 76%.