Fabrication of Thiol-Ene "Clickable" Copolymer-Brush Nanostructures on Polymeric Substrates via Extreme Ultraviolet Interference Lithography

We demonstrate a new approach to grafting thiol-reactive nanopatterned copolymer-brush structures on polymeric substrates by means of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) interference lithography. The copolymer brushes were designed to contain maleimide functional groups as thiol-reactive centers. Fluoropolymer films were exposed to EUV radiation at the X-ray interference lithography beamline (XIL-II) at the Swiss Light Source, in order to create radical patterns on their surfaces. The radicals served as initiators for the copolymerization of thiol-ene "clickable" brushes, composed of a furan-protected maleimide monomer (FuMaMA) and different methacrylates, namely, methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (EGMA), or poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA). Copolymerization with ethylene-glycol-containing monomers provides antibiofouling properties to these surfaces. The number of reactive centers on the grafted brush structures can be tailored by varying the monomer ratios in the feed. Grafted copolymers were characterized by using attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. The reactive maleimide methacrylate (MaMA) units were utilized to conjugate thiol-containing moieties using the nucleophilic Michael-addition reaction, which proceeds at room temperature without the need for any metal-based catalyst. Using this approach, a variety of functionalities was introduced to yield polyelectrolytes, as well as fluorescent and light-responsive polymer-brush structures. Functionalization of the brush structures was demonstrated via ATR-IR and UV-vis spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy, and was also indicated by a color switch. Furthermore, grafted surfaces were generated via plasma activation, showing a strongly increased wettability for polyelectrolytes and a reversible switch in static water contact angle (CA) of up to 18° for P(EGMA-co-MaMA-SP) brushes, upon exposure to alternating visible and UV-light irradiation.

Micro-patterned polymer brushes by a combination of photolithography and interface-mediated RAFT polymerization for DNA hybridization

A novel micro-patterned poly(AHMA) brush was prepared by a combination of photolithography and interface mediated RAFT polymerization for DNA hybridization. By this method, highly resolved micro-patterned polymer brush structures down to ∼2.0 μm lines were obtained.

Light-responsive polymer surfaces via postpolymerization modification of grafted polymer-brush structures

Light-induced, spatially well-defined, reversible switching of surface properties enables the creation of remote-controlled smart surfaces. We have taken advantage of the unique high-resolution structuring capabilities of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) interference lithography to produce nanostructured photoresponsive polymer brushes. Patterns of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) were grafted from two different 100 μm thick fluoropolymer substrates by means of a radiation-initiated, grafting-from approach based on free-radical polymerization (FRP). Photochromic properties were introduced via novel one- or two-step postpolymerization modifications with spiropyran (SP) derivatives, which allowed us to control the number of photochromic groups on the polymer brushes. Depending on the degree of functionalization and the local chemical environment, the SP moieties can open upon UV-light exposure to form zwitterionic, deeply colored, and fluorescent merocyanines (MCs) and reclose to the colorless SP configuration via thermal or visible light-induced relaxation. Switching kinetics were studied by means of time-resolved fluorescence microscopy and compared with kinetic measurements of the SP moiety in solution. The results indicated the importance, for the intensity of the switching, of the local chemical environment provided by both the polymer brush and added solvents, and showed the predominant influence on the ring-closing kinetics of polar solvents, which stabilize the MC form. To allow further characterization of the polymer-brush arrangements on a macroscopic scale, similar, but unstructured brush systems were grafted from fluoropolymers after large-area activation using EUV radiation or argon plasma. All steps of the postpolymerization modification were characterized in detail using attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, a light-induced reversible static-contact-angle switch with a range of up to 15° for PGMA-SP brushes and up to 30° for PMA-SP brushes was demonstrated upon alternating UV- and visible-light irradiation.

Nanostructured bio-functional polymer brushes

Structured poly(glycidyl methracrylate) (poly-GMA) brushes have been grafted onto flexible fluoro-polymer films using a radiation grafting process. The reactive epoxide of poly-GMA provides the basis for a versatile biofunctionalization of the grafted brushes. Structure definition by extreme ultraviolet (EUV) exposure allowed nanometer-scale resolution of periodic patterns. By variation of the exposure dose the height of the grafted structures can be adapted in a wide range. Derivatization of the grafted brushes included reaction with various amines with different side chains, hydrolysis of the epoxide to diols to increase protein resistance and introduction of ionic groups to yield poly-electrolytes. As an example for biofunctionalization, biotin was linked to the grafted brush and biofunctionality was demonstrated in a competitive biotin-streptavidin assay. In this article we also present a brief review of other approaches to obtain structured biofunctional polymer brushes.

Versatile synthesis and micropatterning of nonfouling polymer brushes on the wafer scale

In this article, the authors describe new approaches to synthesize and pattern surfaces with poly[oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl methacrylate] (POEGMA) polymer brushes synthesized by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. These patterned coatings confer "nonfouling" properties protein and cell resistance-to the surface in a biological milieu. The versatile routes for the synthesis of POEGMA demonstrated here offer clear advantages over other techniques previously used in terms of their simplicity, reliability, and ability to pattern large-area substrates. They also demonstrate that POEGMA polymer brushes can be patterned directly by photolithography, plasma ashing, and reactive ion etching to create patterns at the micro- and nanoscale over large areas with high throughput and repeatability, while preserving the protein and cell resistance of the POEGMA brush.

Polymer brushes on periodically nanopatterned surfaces

Structural properties of polymer brushes tethered on a periodically nanopatterned substrate are investigated by computer simulations. The substrate consists of an alternating succession of two different types of equal-width parallel stripes, and the polymers are end-tethered selectively on every second stripe. Three distinct morphologies of the nanopatterned brush have been identified, and their range of stability has been determined in terms of a single universal parameter that combines the grafting density, the polymer length, and the stripe width. We propose scaling relations for the average brush height and for the architectural properties of the outer surface of the nanopatterned brush under good solvent conditions. Our analysis provides guidelines for fabricating well-defined and tunable nanopatterned polymeric films.