1. A method comprising a step of complexing metal atoms with a compound comprising at least one polymeric chain, said polymeric chain incorporating phosphorus atoms and comprising identical or different repeated units, said units being represented by the following formula (I):
wherein:
X3 represents:
\u2014O\u2014Si(R1R2)O\u2014 with R1 and R2 being, independently of each other, a C1-C30 alkyl or alkoxy group, or a C5-C30 aryl group,
a mono- or polyorganosilicate derived radical, or
\u2014N(R3)\u2014 with R3 being \u2014H, a C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C5-C30 aryl group, optionally substituted with \u2014OH or \u2014NH2, or at least one unit of general formula (I), and
\u2550X4 represents an electron pair, \u2550O, \u2550S, or \u2550NR4 with R4 representing a C1-C30 alkyl group or a C5-C30 aryl group.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said polymeric chain is obtained according to a method comprising contacting a first reactant P(CH2Z)3 with a second reactant comprising at least two reactive sites selected from NH and SiOH, wherein:
each Z represents \u2014OH,
each reactive site is capable of reacting with one first reactant, and
said first reactant and said reactive sites are used in an amount equal to or greater than 1 equivalent.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said second reactant is selected from:
NH2R with R representing a C1-C30 alkyl group, optionally substituted with \u2014OH or \u2014NH2, or a C5-C30 aryl group, and
silica derivatives.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said silica derivatives have the formula SiYnZp, with n+p=4, Y represents OH, and Z represents a radical selected from the group consisting of a C1-C5 alkyl group and a C5-C30 aryl group.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said polymeric chain is represented by the following formula (II):
wherein:
n ranges from 1 to 106, each X3 being identical to each other when n is greater than 1, and, when X3 represents \u2014NR3\u2014 with R3 being at least one unit of general formula (I), then free extremities of said at least one unit of general formula (I) which are not engaged in said polymeric chain are substituted with X1 or X2,
X1 and X2 independently represent:
\u2014OH,
\u2014NH2,
\u2014NHR5 where R5 represents a C1-C30 alkyl group or a C5-C30 aryl group, or
\u2014OSiR6R7(OH) where:
R6 represents a C1-C30 alkyl group or a C5-C30 aryl group, and
R7 represents:
a C1-C30 alkyl group,
a C5-C30 aryl group, or
\u2014OCH2\u2014B, and
B represents:
X2 as defined above, or
a radical of formula (III):
wherein:
m ranges from 0 to 106, and
B\u2032 represents X2 or a radical of formula (III) with each radical of formula (III) being identical to each other when m is not 0,
X\u20322 represents X2 as above-defined, X\u20323 represents X3 as above-defined, and \u2550X\u20324 represents \u2550X4 as above-defined, with each X\u20323 being identical to each other when m is not 0.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein X1 and X2 represent, independently of each other, \u2014OH, \u2014NHR5, or OSiR6R7(OH).
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said polymeric chain is represented by the following formula (V):
wherein:
n1, n2 and n3 range, independently of each other, from 0 to 106, and
a1 and a2 range from 1 to 106,
— represents an optional continuation of said polymeric chain, and
A, B, C, and D are randomly or sequentially distributed.
8. The method according to claim 5, wherein X1 and X2 are identical.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said polymeric chain is represented by the following formula (IV):
where X1 and X2 represent, independently of each other, \u2014OH, \u2014NH2, or \u2014NHR5, with R5 being a C1-C30 alkyl group or a C5-C30 aryl group, and n ranges from 1 to 106.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein \u2550X4 represents \u2550O, \u2550S or an electron pair.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound is insoluble in water.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said polymeric chain is grafted onto a support of mineral or organic material.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said support of mineral material is a metal oxide.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said metal oxide is TiO2 or SiO2.
15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said support of organic material is selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, paper, plastic, mineral materials functionalized with APS, amine containing reagent, amine containing organic polymer, and biological amine containing polymers.
16. The method according to claim 1, comprising complexing said metal atoms from water.
17. A method for detecting metal atoms comprising:
complexing metal atoms according to claim 1;
recovering a metal-polymer complex from a solution of the compound and metal atoms; and
detecting metal atoms in said complex.
18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal atoms are selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a salt, a neutral solvate of a paramagnetic metal of atomic number 21-29, 42-44, or 58-70, a radionuclide chosen from 99Tc, 117Sn, 111In, 97Ru, 67Ga, 68Ga, 89Zr, 177Lu, 47Sc, 105Rh, 188Re, 60Cu, 62Cu, 64Cu, 67Cu, 90Y, 159Gd, 149Pr, and 166Ho, and an ion of a heavy metal of atomic number 21-31, 39-49, 50, 56-80, 82, 83, or 90.
19. A metal-based coordination complex comprising a metal atom complexed via coordination bonds with at least one compound comprising a polymeric chain, said polymeric chain incorporating phosphorus atoms and comprising identical or different repeated units, said units being represented by the following formula (I):
wherein:
X3 represents:
\u2014O\u2014Si(R1R2)O\u2014 with R1 and R2 being, independently of each other, a C1-C30 alkyl or alkoxy group, or a C5-C30 aryl group,
a mono- or polyorganosilicate derived radical, or
\u2014N(R3)\u2014 with R3 being \u2014H, a C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C5-C30 aryl group, optionally substituted with \u2014OH or \u2014NH2, or at least one unit of general formula (I), and
\u2550X4 represents an electron pair, \u2550O, \u2550S, or \u2550NR4 with R4 representing a C1-C30 alkyl group or a C5-C30 aryl group.
20. A compound for medical imaging comprising a metal-based coordination complex according to claim 19.
21. A catalytic agent comprising a metal-based coordination complex according to claim 19.
22. A stabilized nanoparticle of metal atoms coated at least in part with at least one compound comprising a polymeric chain, said polymeric chain incorporating phosphorus atoms and comprising identical or different repeated units, said units being represented by the following formula (I):
wherein:
X3 represents:
\u2014O\u2014Si(R1R2)O\u2014 with R1 and R2 being, independently of each other, a C1-C30 alkyl or alkoxy group, or a C5-C30 aryl group,
a mono- or polyorganosilicate derived radical, or
\u2014N(R3)\u2014 with R3 being \u2014H, a C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C5-C30 aryl group, optionally substituted with \u2014OH or \u2014NH2, or at least one unit of general formula (I), and
\u2550X4 represents an electron pair, \u2550O, \u2550S, or \u2550NR4 with R4 representing a C1-C30 alkyl group or a C5-C30 aryl group.
23. A compound for medical imaging comprising a stabilized nanoparticle of metal atoms according to claim 22.
24. A catalytic agent comprising a stabilized nanoparticle of metal atoms according to claim 22.
25. A water insoluble compound comprising a polymeric chain, said polymeric chain incorporating phosphorus atoms and being represented by the following formula (II):
wherein:
n ranges from 1 to 106,
X1 and X2 independently represent:
\u2014OH,
\u2014NH2,
\u2014NHR5 where R5 represents a C1-C30 alkyl group or a C5-C30 aryl group, or
\u2014OSiR6R7(OH) where:
R6 represents a C1-C30 alkyl group or a C5-C30 aryl group, and
R7 represents:
a C1-C30 alkyl group,
a C5-C30 aryl group, or
\u2014OCH2\u2014B, and
B represents:
X2 as defined above, or
a radical of formula (III):
wherein:
m ranges from 0 to 106, and
B\u2032 represents X2 or a radical of formula (III), with each radical of formula (III) being identical to each other when m is not 0,
X\u20322 represents X2 as above-defined, X\u20323 represents X3 with each X\u20323 being identical to each other when m is not 0, and \u2550X\u20324 represents \u2550X4,
X3 represents:
\u2014O\u2014Si(R1R2)O\u2014 with R1 and R2 being, independently of each other, a C1-C30 alkyl or alkoxy group, or a C5-C30 aryl group,
a mono- or polyorganosilicate derived radical, or
\u2014N(R3)\u2014 with R3 being a C1 or a C3-C5 alkyl group or a C5-C30 aryl group, optionally substituted with \u2014OH or \u2014NH2, or at least one unit of general formula (I), wherein each X3 is identical to each other when n is greater than 1, and
X4 is an electron pair or \u2550O.
26. The compound according to claim 25, wherein said polymeric chain is obtained according to a method comprising a step of contacting a first reactant P(CH2Z)3 with a second reactant comprising at least two reactive sites selected from the group consisting of NH and SiOH, wherein:
each Z represents \u2014OH,
each reactive site is capable of reacting with one first reactant, and
said first reactant and said reactive sites are used in an amount equal or greater than 1 equivalent.
27. A method comprising a step of complexing metal atoms with a compound comprising a polymeric chain, said polymeric chain incorporating phosphorus atoms and comprising identical or different repeated units, said units being represented by the following formula (I):
wherein:
\u2014X3 represents:
\u2014O\u2014Si(R1R2)O\u2014 with R1 and R2 being, independently of each other, a C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C5-C30 aryl group,
a mono- or polyorganosilicate derived radical, or
\u2014N(R3)\u2014 with R3 being \u2014H, a C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C5-C30 aryl group, optionally substituted with \u2014OH or \u2014NH2, or at least one unit of general formula (I), and
\u2550X4 represents an electron pair, \u2550O, \u2550S, or \u2550NR4 with R4 representing a C1-C30 alkyl group or a C5-C30 aryl group,
said polymeric chain is obtained according to a method comprising contacting a first reactant P(CH2Z)3, wherein each Z represents \u2014OH, with a second reactant comprising at least two reactive sites selected from the group consisting of NH and SiOH, wherein each reactive site is capable of reacting with one first reactant,
said first reactant and said reactive sites are used in an amount equal or greater than 1 equivalent,
said second reactant is selected from NH2R, with R representing a C1-C30 alkyl or alkoxy group, optionally substituted with \u2014OH or \u2014NH2, or a C5-C30 aryl group; and a silica derivative, and
said silica derivative has the formula SiYnZp, with n+p=4, where Y represents OH, and Z represents a radical selected from the group consisting of a C1-C5 alkyl group and a C5-C30 aryl group.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A magnetoresistive element comprising:
a first magnetic layer;
a second magnetic layer; and
a middle layer disposed between the first and the second magnetic layers, wherein the middle layer is thinner than 5 nm (50 \u212b) and comprises organic molecules, and wherein the magnetoresistive element exhibits a magnetoresistive effect as a function of the relative alignment of magnetizations of the first and the second magnetic layers, wherein the middle layer comprises at least one molecular monolayer.
2. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules are semiconductive.
3. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules are intrinsically semiconductive even when not in contact with the first and second magnetic layers.
4. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the middle layer defines a main plane and the magnetoresistive effect is observed with respect to a current in a direction perpendicular to the main plane of the middle layer.
5. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the magnetoresistive effect is at least partially contributed by a GMR effect.
6. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the magnetoresistive effect is at least partially contributed by a TMR effect.
7. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the middle layer comprises substantially the organic molecules only, and wherein the organic molecules are substantially uniformly distributed across the middle layer.
8. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic layer has a fixed orientation of magnetization, and the second magnetic layer has an orientation of magnetization which varies in accordance with an external magnetic signal from a data storage medium used in a data storage such as a hard disc drive.
9. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the middle layer is formed using a technique or a combination of techniques selected from the group consisting of re-sublimation, low temperature vacuum evaporation, spin-coating, and electro-deposition.
10. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the molecular monolayer has a tightly-packed arrangement among all molecules thereof including the organic molecules.
11. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the monolayer is a self assembled layer.
12. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the middle layer is in direct contact with at least one of the first and the second magnetic layers.
13. The magnetoresistive element of claim 12, wherein the direct contact is a charged-transfer bond.
14. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the middle layer comprises a first molecular layer and a second molecular layer, the first and the second molecular layers being different in molecular composition.
15. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the middle layer comprises a first molecular layer and a second molecular layer, the first and the second molecular layers being different in molecular composition in that the second molecular layer comprises at least one type of molecules that is not found in the first molecular layer.
16. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules exhibit a substantially isotropic electron transport property.
17. The magnetoresistive element of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules are selected from the group consisting of fullerenes such as buckminsterfullerene (C60) and derivatives thereof including K doped fullerenes; conjugated hydrocarbon or heterocyclic organic polymeric semiconductor materials such as oligomers of polyacenes, polythiophenes, polyacetylene, polydiacetylene, polyphenylenes, polyvinylene, polyaniline, polypyrrole, polyfuran, polypyridine, polythienylene, and derivatives thereof including oligomers of those conjugated organic polymers;
condensed aromatic hydrocarbons such as tetracene, chrysene, pentacene, pyrene, perylene, coronene, and derivatives of those condensed aromatic hydrocarbons; and metal complexes of porphine and phthalocyanine type of compounds such as zinc 1,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21 H, 23 H-porphine, copper phthalocyanine, lutetium bisphthalocyanine, aluminum phthalocyanine chloride.
18. A magnetoresistive element comprising:
a first magnetic layer;
a second magnetic layer; and
a tunneling barrier layer disposed in a stack between the first and the second magnetic layers, wherein the tunneling barrier layer comprises organic molecules, and wherein the magnetoresistive element exhibits a magnetoresistive effect as a function of the relative alignment of magnetizations of the first and the second magnetic layers, wherein the tunneling barrier layer defines a main plane and the magnetoresistive effect is observed with respect to a current flowing through the stack in a direction perpendicular to the main plane of the tunneling barrier layer.
19. The magnetoresistive element of claim 18, wherein the tunneling barrier layer is a molecular monolayer.
20. The magnetoresistive element of claim 18, wherein the molecular monolayer has a tightly-packed arrangement among all molecules thereof including the organic molecules.
21. The magnetoresistive element of claim 18, wherein the monolayer is a self-assembled layer.
22. The magnetoresistive element of claim 18, wherein the tunneling barrier comprises a plurality of molecular monolayers.
23. A magnetoresistive element comprising:
a first magnetic layer;
a second magnetic layer disposed parallel to and above the first magnetic layer; and
a middle layer disposed parallel to and between the first and the second magnetic layers, wherein the middle layer comprises organic molecules, wherein the magnetoresistive element exhibits a magnetoresistive effect as a function of the relative alignment of magnetizations of the first and the second magnetic layers, wherein the middle layer defines a main plane and the magnetoresistive effect is observed with respect to a current in a direction perpendicular to the main plane of the middle layer.
24. The magnetoresistive element of claim 23, wherein the organic molecules are semiconductive.
25. The magnetoresistive element of claim 23, wherein the middle layer is a molecular monolayer.