Nano-patterning with polymer brushes via solvent-assisted polymer grafting

Abstract

We report surface patterning on the nanolevel with the “grafting to” approach carried out at relatively low temperatures (40 °C). Low grafting temperatures were achieved viasolvent-assisted grafting and allowed the use of the developed approach for surface templating in a variety of ways. Specifically, two examples of the patterning are discussed. A poly-2-vinylpyridine, P2VP surface pattern was created by a combination of capillary force lithography and the solvent-assisted grafting. Silver nanoparticle arrays were created and transferred into a silicon matrix employing the P2VP pattern. Solvent-assisted grafting was also a suitable technique for manipulating thermolabile objects, e.g.proteins. Protein molecules were imprinted via the grafting. Rebinding experiments showed preferential protein adsorption onto the imprinted surface relative to a non-imprinted control sample.