Abstract: A method of electrochemical deposition uses microdroplets of electrolytic solution over a targeted small circuit element. Only the targeted circuit element is electrically biased so that deposition occurs on the surface of that element, underneath the microdroplet, and nowhere else unless it is under other microdroplet(s). The invented method achieves extremely accurate and selective electrochemical deposition with a tiny amount of electrolytic solution, compared to conventional submersive and/or immersive methods, and eliminates the need for masking or etching, reducing the costs of manufacture and amount of waste electrolytic solution produced.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and a process for separation and resolution of particles suspended in, or molecules dissolved in, a sample mixture or solution using electrical field flow fractionation (EFFF). Fractionation of individual components in the mixture/solution is obtained by the interaction of particles/molecules with an electric field applied perpendicular to the flow direction, and externally to the fractionation channel. The plate electrodes are electrically isolated from the sample and carrier within a thin, non-permeable, insulating coating on the inside surfaces electrodes. This coating forms a barrier between the solution phase and the electric circuit used to generate the working electric field. The flow channel is formed by sandwiching a shaped insulating gasket between the two parallel plate electrodes. The side walls of the channel are defined then by the inside walls of the shaped, insulating gasket.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for laboratory and field use in detecting and measuring Hg+ and Hg2+ in sample. A selective mercury binding agent, such as a chelating agent or clathrating agent, is covalently bound in a copolymer and deposited as an electrode layer. To prepare the preferred apparatus of the invention, thiophene, or other, similar monomer, is derivatized by covalent attachment thereto of Kryptofix-21™ (1,4,10-trioxa-7,13-diazacyclopentadecane) in the 3-position. The thiophene monomer and Kryptofix-21™ are co-polymerized and electrodeposited by known techniques onto a conductive substrate, such as platinum or glassy carbon, to obtain a multi-layer polymer coating of desired thickness. The resulting coated electrode has selective coordination sites for mercury of the order of Kf=1016, compared to Kf=103 for cadmium, Kf=105 for lead and Kf=105 for silver.

Abstract: Disclosed are negatively and positively charged liquid toners for electrophotography (EP). The charge on the toner particle is obtained by adding cage complex molecules, or clathrates/cryptates, to the liquid toner. The cage complex molecules have at least three chains, with at least one electron pair donor atom in each chain, for a total of at least three electron pair donor atoms (EPD's). Or, the cage complex molecules have at least two connected rings, with a total of at least three EPD's in the molecule including at least one EPD in each of the connected rings. For negatively charged toner particles, the clathrates/cryptates are distributed in the liquid dispersion, and metal cations are weakly associated with anionic functional groups on the toner particle. This way, the clathrates/cryptates in dispersion complex selectively with the cations and strip them from the toner particle, leaving a negatively charged particle.

Abstract: This invention comprises a single-component dendrimeric toner particle, and methods of making and using the toner particle in the liquid EP process. By using dendrimeric chemistry, a dendrimeric toner particle may be made that has controlled content, structure and size and that includes a colorant, a binder, and a charge director. The toner particles made this way will have high uniformity, so that toner dispersions containing them may be made to have good stability, print performance, and quality control. The colorant of choice for the toner particle is made the core of the dendrimer toner particle. Dendrons, which are made of generations of building or polymer units, branch out from the core and include a resin or other binder molecule, for binding the colorant to the paper in the EP process. One or more of the final polymer units, located at the terminus of the dendrons, comprise a coordinating or chelating agent for the toner charge director.

Abstract: Disclosed are negatively and positively charged liquid toners for eleotrophotography (EP). The charge on the toner particle is obtained by adding cage complex molecules, or clathrates/cryptates, to the liquid toner. The cage complex molecules have at least three chains, with a least one electron pair donor atom in each chain, for a total of at least three electron pair donor atoms (EPD's). Or, the cage complex molecules have at least two connected rings, with a total of at least three EPD's in the molecule including at least one EPD in each of the connected rings. For negatively charged toner particles, the clathrates/cryptates are distributed in the liquid dispersion, and metal cations are weakly associated with anionic functional groups on the toner particle. This way, the clathrates/cryptates in dispersion complex selectively with the cations and strip them from the toner particle, leaving a negatively charged particle.

Abstract: A system and method for electrophotographic printing an image with a plurality of toners, where the plurality of toners includes toners that are attracted to either a first charge potential or a second charge potential. The electrophotographic system includes a photoconductive surface that is charged to the second charge potential. A laser selectively discharges the photoconductive surface to the first charge potential in accordance the image to be printed. Those toners that are attracted to the first charge potential are applied to the photoconductive surface, wherein the toners are electrostatically attracted to those areas of the photoconductive surface that are at the first charge potential. The photoconductive surface again charged to the second charge potential. The photoconductive surface is again discharged to the first charge potential in accordance with those areas of the image to which those toners that are attracted to the second charge potential are to be repelled.

Abstract: The invention is a positive charge director for liquid electrographic toners. The charge director comprises a very strongly chelating functional group covalently bonded in the resin coating or pigment component, or an intrinsic part of the pigment component, of the toner particle, and a very weakly associated, preferably ionic, molecule dispersed in the liquid phase to achieve charge separation. The strong chelation site on the resin is prepared, via well-known polymer chemistry. For the ionic molecule, preferred cations are those with no regulatory, health or environmental issues, such as K+, Na+, Ca.sup.2+, Al.sup.3+, Zn.sup.2+, Zr.sup.4+, Mg.sup.2+, ammonium (NH.sub.4 +), and organic cations.The chelate-containing resin is brought into dispersion with the liquid phase containing the ionic molecule. When this is done, the equilibria that compete for the cation are such that it is released from the ionic molecule and bound in the chelate.

Abstract: This invention consolidates all of the functions served by the EP toner in one macromolecule. The invention is a macromolecule of dye-polymer comprising a dye colorant copolymerized with a linking/spacing component, using well known principles of polymer chemistry. A dye/charge director component may be copolymerized with the dye colorant and the linking/spacing component simultaneously or subsequently, or it may be an intrinsic part of the dye colorant or the linking/spacing component.

Abstract: The invention is a negative charge director for liquid electrographic toners. The charge director comprises a very weakly associating, charged functional group covalently bonded in the resin coating of the toner particle, and a very strongly chelating, preferably neutrally charged, molecule dispersed in the liquid phase to achieve charge separation. The weak association site on the resin is prepared, via well-known ion-exchange chemistry, in the metal form desired. Preferred metals are those with no regulatory, health or environmental issues, such as K+, Na+, Ca.sup.2+, Al.sup.3+, Zn.sup.2+, Zr.sup.4+, Mg.sup.2+, ammonium (NH.sub.4 +), and organic cations.The cation-associated resin is brought into dispersion with the solution phase chelating molecule. When this is done, the equilibria that compete for the cation are such that it is released from the resin and bound in the chelate.

Abstract: An imaging system incorporating the invention includes a movable photoconductive surface, and an electrostatic system for repetitively charging the photoconductive surface to a first charge potential. A laser system selectively discharges the photoconductive surface to a second charge potential in accordance with image signals. A color toner supply provides color toner to the photoconductive surface, the color toner exhibiting a charge state that is attracted by the second charge potential and is repelled by the first charge potential. An adhesive toner supply provides adhesive toner to the photoconductive surface, the adhesive toner exhibiting an opposite sense charge state to the color toner. The adhesive toner is attracted by the first charge potential and is repelled by the second charge potential. A controller causes the color toner to be applied to the photoconductive surface and the entire photoconductive surface is recharged.

Abstract: Switching devices (10) comprise a micro-electrode (12 or 16a') coated with a templated polymer (14). For example, the template molecule is glucose and the bulk polymer is a thiophene/boronic acid-substituted thiophene copolymer. The switch is activated or inactivated by the concentration of glucose in a solution (38) contacting the coated micro-electrode. Advantageously, the dimensions of the switch may be very small, 10.sup.-6 or less.

Abstract: Boronic dyes corresponding to the formula ##STR1## wherein D is an organic dye moiety, and n is 1 or 2 are described. Inks which are formulated for ink-jet printing and contain such a dye provide excellent images when printed on paper.

Abstract: Inks for ink-jet printing have improved waterfastness when a low molecular weight nitrile, particularly a nitrile having quaternary or tertiary amine functionalities, is added to the composition.