Combinatorial synthesis

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for providing a library of composite compositions on a support. The method involves depositing one or more components onto the support on either discrete spaced regions of the support or as a continuous concentration gradients on the surface of the support. The composite samples can be removed from the support by drilling out portions of the coated support so as to yield individual composite tablets containing the support with one or more component layers thereon. By using this method, a vast number of composites can be made and tested simultaneously.

1 . A method of producing a library of composite compositions on a substrate sheet comprising: forming a plurality of different composite compositions on said sheet, said composite compositions comprising one or more components deposited on said substrate sheet, at least one of said components being deposited onto said substrate by a screen printing process and testing said composite compositions for properties, said method of producing said library devoid of any step which causes substantial reaction of any deposited component with another deposited component or said substrate sheet.  
     
     
         2 - 5 . (canceled)  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of different composite compositions are formed on said substrate sheet by depositing one or more components to discrete, predefined regions of said substrate sheet.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said different composite compositions contain a different number of deposited components.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said different composite compositions contain the same deposited components but at different deposition thicknesses on said substrate sheet.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said different composite compositions contain the same deposited component, but wherein said deposited component is provided in different concentrations.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said different composite compositions contain a plurality of deposited component layers, which are the same, but wherein the order of the plurality of deposited component layers is different with respect to each composite composition.  
     
     
         11 . (canceled)  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said components are deposited as a dry solid or as a solid contained within a liquid carrier onto said substrate sheet.  
     
     
         13 - 15 . (canceled)  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said deposited components is in the form of a metal salt, elemental metal, metallic oxide, metal oxide ceramic, non-oxide ceramic or carbon.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said deposited components is a polymer.  
     
     
         18 - 21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said different composite compositions are formed by the deposition of at least one component layer across said substrate sheet in the form of a continuous concentration gradient of said component.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said concentration gradient exists along only one axis of said substrate sheet.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said concentration gradient exists along at least two axes of said substrate sheet.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a plurality of component layers are deposited onto said substrate sheet, at least one of said plurality of component layers being in the form of a concentration gradient across the surface of said substrate sheet.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said different composite compositions are formed by depositing at least one uniform component layer across substantially the entire sheet and at least one component layer in the form of a concentration gradient across the surface of said substrate sheet.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said different composite compositions are formed by depositing at least two different composite layers on said substrate sheet in the form of concentration gradients across the surface of said substrate sheet.  
     
     
         28 - 37 . (canceled)  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said composite composition is a catalyst.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said composite composition is an adsorbent.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said composite composition is a pigment.  
     
     
         41 - 69 . (canceled)  
     
     
         70 . A method of producing a library of composite catalyst compositions on a cordierite substrate sheet comprising: forming a plurality of different composite catalyst compositions on said sheet, said composite catalyst compositions comprising one or more components deposited on said substrate sheet, and testing said composite catalyst compositions for properties, said method of producing said library devoid of any step which causes substantial reaction of any deposited component with another deposited component or said substrate sheet.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein said different composite catalyst compositions are formed by the deposition of at least one component layer across said substrate sheet in the form of a continuous concentration gradient of said component.