This paper describes the synthesis, characterization,and photochemical behavior of a newlight-activated material for the photoimmobilization of antigens.The material is a derivativeof cross-linked polyacrylamide that incorporates photoactive
o-nitrobenzyl carbamates. Whenirradiated, the polymer undergoes a photochemical rearrangement toproduce primary aminesthat can be used as molecular attachment sites. We monitored thephotoconversion of thin(1-2
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m) polymer films that were deposited on silicon wafers orfused silica substrates usingFT IR spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. To produce patternedpolymer-modifiedsubstrates, we irradiated the material using a photolithographic mask.This process yielded10-
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m lines of photogenerated amines, to which an amine-reactiveantigen (2,4,6-trintrobenzenesulfonic acid) was covalently bound. When we used thisantigen-patterned substratein a competitive fluorescence immunoassay containingtetramethylrhodamine-labeled anti-2,4-dinitrophenyl antibodies and 2,4-dinitrophenol, concentrations of2,4-dinitrophenol aslow as 2.3
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g/mL were detectable.