Encoding Information into Polyethylene Glycol Using an Alcohol-Isocyanate "Click" Reaction

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Data Storage

Background:

• Developing novel methods for high-density data storage is crucial.
• Mass spectrometry techniques offer potential for molecular-level information encoding.
• Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are versatile polymers with tunable properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the capability of encoding information using homologous series of monodisperse monomethoxypolyethylene glycols (mPEG) and aliphatic isocyanates.
• To develop a method for storing binary data using PEG derivatives and reading it via MALDI-TOF MS.
• To evaluate the potential for high-density data storage using this chemical approach.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized 20 different isocyanate end-capped polyethylene glycol derivatives (mPEG-OCONHR) via click chemistry.
• Encoded information in binary sequences on a 384-well MALDI sample plate using dried-droplet preparation.
• Read stored information using MALDI-TOF MS, analyzing the m/z values of the mPEG-OCONHR oligomers.

Main Results:

• Achieved information encoding with an average of 8 m/z units per bit.
• Successfully stored and retrieved data, including text, images, and MIDI audio sequences.
• Demonstrated strong and unambiguous MALDI-TOF MS signals for efficient decoding.

Conclusions:

• The mPEG-OCONHR oligomer system provides a viable platform for molecular data storage.
• The method allows for high-density data encoding and reliable retrieval.
• Further extension of the oligomer set can enhance data storage density.