High throughput mechanical property testing of materials libraries using a piezoelectric

Abstract

The present invention provides instruments and methods for screening combinatorial libraries that addresses many of the problems encountered when using conventional instruments. For example, the disclosed instruments can measure mechanical properties of library members in rapid serial or parallel test format, and can perform tests on small amounts of material, which are easily prepared or dispensed using art-disclosed liquid or solid handling techniques. Compared to conventional instruments, the disclosed instruments afford faster sample loading and unloading, for example, through the use of disposable libraries of material samples.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 : A method for screening a material, the method comprising: 
 providing a supporting member containing at least one piezoelectric element having an electrode;    securing a material sample onto the piezoelectric element wherein the sample is selected from a group consisting of solids, semi-solids, high viscosity fluids, and a combination thereof;    directing a force from the piezoelectric element to the sample by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element through the electrode; and    monitoring a response of the sample to the force with at least one response sensing device, wherein the response of the sample is indicative of a mechanical property.    
     
     
         2 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sample has a thickness of less than about 500 microns.  
     
     
         3 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sample is secured on the piezoelectric element by means selected from a group consisting of mechanically, magnetically, electromagnetically, electromechanically, chemically, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         4 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one response sensing device is selected from a group consisting of an optical response sensing device selected from a group consisting of optical reflectance, optical interferometry, shadow illumination, and a combination thereof; a piezoelectric sensing device comprising of the electrode and a sensor region, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         5 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric element is a bender.  
     
     
         6 : The method of  claim 5 , further comprising securing the electrode to a backing plate, wherein the bender comprises the backing plate and an appropriately polarized ceramic disk attached to the backing plate.  
     
     
         7 : The method of  claim 6 , wherein securing the electrode to the backing plate is by means selected from a group consisting of sintering, gluing, fastening, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         8 : The method of  claim 6 , wherein the sample is secured to the backing plate.  
     
     
         9 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric element further includes a sensor region and an actuator region that are separate structures connected to each other by a platform.  
     
     
         10 : A method for screening a material for a mechanical properties, the method comprising: 
 providing a supporting member containing at least one piezoelectric element having an electrode;    directing a force from the piezoelectric element by applying a voltage selected from a group consisting of oscillatory, non-oscillatory, and a combination thereof to the piezoelectric element;    monitoring a response of the piezoelectric element to the force with at least one response sensing device selected from a group consisting of an optical response sensing device selected from a group consisting of optical reflectance, optical interferometry, shadow illumination, and a combination thereof; a piezoelectric sensing device comprising of the electrode and a sensor region, and a combination thereof;    securing a material sample onto the piezoelectric element by means selected from a group consisting of mechanically, magnetically, electromagnetically, electromechanically, chemically, and a combination thereof, wherein the sample is selected from a group consisting of solids, semi-solids, high viscosity fluids, and a combination thereof, has an area of less than about 50 mm 2  and a thickness of less than about 500 microns;    directing a force from the piezoelectric element to the sample by applying the voltage to the piezoelectric element; and    monitoring a response of the sample to the force with the at least one response sensing device, wherein the mechanical properties being screened are selected from a group consisting of flexure, uniaxial extension, biaxial compression, shear, stress and strain at failure, toughness, Young's modulus, complex modulus, and a combination thereof.    
     
     
         11 : The method of  claim 10 , further comprising regulating environmental conditions of the sample.  
     
     
         12 : The method of  claim 10 , wherein the piezoelectric element is a bender.  
     
     
         13 : The method of  claim 12 , wherein the bender comprises a backing plate and an appropriately polarized ceramic disk attached to the backing plate, wherein the electrode is secured to the backing plate, and the sample is secured to the backing plate.  
     
     
         14 : The method of  claim 10 , wherein the piezoelectric element further includes a sensor region and a actuator region that are separate structures connected to each other by a platform.