Light-Modulated Surface Micropatterns with Multifunctional Surface Properties on Photodegradable Polymer Films

Photo-induced stress relaxation in reconfigurable disulfide-crosslinked supramolecular films visualized by dynamic wrinkling

Stress relaxation in reconfigurable supramolecular polymer networks is strongly related to intermolecular behavior. However, the relationship between molecular motion and macroscopic mechanics is usually vague, and the visualization of internal stress reflecting precise regulation of molecules remains challenging. Here, we present a strategy for visualizing photo-driven stress relaxation induced by infinitesimal perturbations in the intermolecular exchange reaction via reprogrammable wrinkle patterns. The supramolecular films exhibit visible changes in microscopic wrinkle topography through ultraviolet (UV)-induced dynamic disulfide exchange reaction. In accordance with the trans-scale theoretical models, which quantitatively evaluate the chemical-dependent mechanical stresses in the supramolecular network, the unexposed disordered wrinkles evolved into highly oriented patterns and underwent subsequent mutations after thermal treatment. The stress-sensitive wrinkle macro-patterns can be repetitively written/erased through network topology rearrangement using different stimuli. This strategy provides an approach for visualizing and understanding the molecular behavior from dynamic chemistry to mechanical changes, and directly programming wrinkle patterns with regulated structures.

Light-Induced Surface Wrinkling on Azo-Based Composite Films

Here we report a simple micro/nano patterning strategy based on light-induced surface wrinkling. Namely, we fabricated a film/substrate system composed of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a soft substrate and non-photosensitive polymer polystyrene (PS) mixed with azo-polymer (polydisperse orange 3, PDO3) as a stiff film. Taking advantage of the photo-thermal effect and photo-softening effect of PDO3, we fabricated various microstructured wrinkling morphologies by a simple light illumination. We investigated the influence of two exposure modes (i.e., static selective exposure and dynamic moving exposure), the illumination conditions, the composition of the blended film, and the film thickness on the resulting wrinkling patterns. It is highly expected that this azo-based photosensitive wrinkling system will be extended to functional systems for the realization of light-induced surface micro/nanopatterning.

3D Multiscale Micro-/Nanofolds by Femtosecond Laser Intermittent Ablation and Constrained Heating on a Shape Memory Polymer

Spontaneous wrinkling of films with a thickness gradient offers a new opportunity for constructing various 3D hierarchical surface morphologies. Unfortunately, accurately and facilely controlling the gradient film thickness to yield multiscale and 3D hierarchical micro-/nanostructures is still difficult. Here, a rapid, facile, and highly controllable fabricating strategy for realizing 3D multiscale hierarchical micro-/nanofolds on a shape memory polymer (SMP) surface is reported. First, the nanoparticle film with gradient thickness is rapidly (100 ms to 4 s) and facilely obtained by laser intermittent ablation on the SMP, termed as laser ablation-induced gradient thickness film. Following one-time constrained heating, the 3D micropillars grow out of the substrate based on the "self-growing effect," and the nanoparticle gradient film on its top shrinks into multiscale micro-/nanofolds simultaneously. Significantly, the evolution process and the underlying mechanism of the 3D micro-/nanofolds are systematically investigated. Fundamental basis enables us to accurately regulate the gradient thickness of nanoparticle films and feature size of folds by varying laser scanning times and scanning path. Finally, desirable patterns on micro-/nanofolds can be readily realized by programmable laser cleaning technology, and the tunable adhesion of the water droplet on the multiscale structured surface is demonstrated, which is promising for microdroplet manipulation.

Transparency Change Mechanochromism Based on a Robust PDMS-Hydrogel Bilayer Structure

Hydrogels and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are complementary to each other, since the hydrophobic PDMS provides a more stable and rigid substrate, while the water-rich hydrogel possesses remarkable hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, and similarity to biological tissues. Herein a transparent and stretchable covalently bonded PDMS-hydrogel bilayer (PHB) structure is prepared via in situ free radical copolymerization of acrylamide and allylamine-exfoliated-ZrP (AA-e-ZrP) on a functionalized PDMS surface. The AA-e-ZrP serves as cross-linking nano-patches in the polymer gel network. The covalently bonded structure is constructed through the addition reaction of vinyl groups of PDMS surface and monomers, obtaining a strong interfacial adhesion between the PDMS and the hydrogel. A mechanical-responsive wrinkle surface, which exhibs transparency change mechanochromism, is created via introducing a cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol film atop the PHB structure. A finite element model is implemented to simulate the wrinkle formation process. The implication of the present finding for the interfacial design of the PHB and PDMS-hydrogel-PVA trilayer (PHPT) structures is discussed.

Controlling silk fibroin conformation for dynamic, responsive, multifunctional, micropatterned surfaces

Protein micro/nanopatterning has long provided sophisticated strategies for a wide range of applications including biointerfaces, tissue engineering, optics/photonics, and bioelectronics. We present here the use of regenerated silk fibroin to explore wrinkle formation by exploiting the structure-function relation of silk. This yields a biopolymer-based reversible, multiresponsive, dynamic wrinkling system based on the protein's responsiveness to external stimuli that allows on-demand tuning of surface morphologies and properties. The polymorphic transitions of silk fibroin enable modulation of the wrinkle patterns and, consequently, the material's physical properties. The interplay between silk protein chains and external stimuli enables control over the protein film's wrinkling dynamics. Thanks to the versatility of regenerated silk fibroin as a technological substrate, a number of demonstrator devices of varying utility are shown ranging from information encoding to modulation of optical transparency and thermal regulation.

All-Optical Reversible Azo-Based Wrinkling Patterns with High Aspect Ratio and Polarization-Independent Orientation for Light-Responsive Soft Photonics

Azobenzene-containing polymers (azopolymers) can serve as building blocks for an emerging class of soft photonics. Using their photoresponses for the micro/nanofabrication of smart surface is a key but still a challenging step. Here, we report a simple visible-light-illumination strategy to trigger diverse configurations of surface wrinkling on azopolymer-based film/substrate systems, which can be switched between flat and wrinkled states by controlling the intensity of the incident light. Different photoresponsive characteristics of azobenzene are involved in driving the wrinkling/dewrinkling switch. For the first time, we achieve the controlled wrinkling with an unexpected high aspect ratio and surprisingly polarization-independent ordered orientation by exploiting the unique photosoftening effect of azobenzene. Theoretical analysis reveals that an in situ photoinduced reversible soft/hard-contrast boundary determines the wrinkling orientation, which is used to fabricate diverse on-demand hierarchical wrinkles. These photoresponsive systems find broad photonic applications that are not easily accessible to other systems, e.g., optically reversible smart display, information security, and well-regulated optical devices.

Photocontrollable Wrinkle Morphology Evolution on Azo-Based Multilayers for Hierarchical Surface Micropatterns Fabrication

Inspired by nature, comprehensive understanding and ingenious utilization of the self-organized wrinkling behaviors of the sandwiched multilayer bonded on substrates are important for engineering and/or functional laminated devices design. Herein, we report a facile and effective strategy to regulate the wrinkles morphology evolution and the resultant hierarchical surface micropatterns on azobenzene-based laminated multilayers by visible-light irradiation. Revealed by systematic experiments, the photocontrolled dynamic wrinkle evolutions are triggered by the reversible photoisomerization of azobenzene in the top azopolymer film and are strongly dependent on the intermediate photoinert layers (e.g., polystyrene and oxygen plasma-induced SiO _x layer) with the wrinkle-reinforcing effect or the stress relaxation acceleration effect. Interestingly, large-area well-defined hierarchical surface wrinkle patterns could be fabricated on the multilayers upon selective exposure. In the unexposed region, the wrinkles evolved into highly oriented patterns, whereas in the exposed region, they were fully erased or evolved into smaller-wavelength wrinkles. This study not only sheds light on the morphological evolution of the wrinkling laminated composites in engineering and nature but also paves a new avenue to conveniently and controllably realize the hierarchical stimulus-responsive surface patterns.