Hydrophilic composite elastomeric mold for high-resolution soft lithography

Abstract

Here, we introduce a nanopatternable hydrophilic composite elastomer highly desirable for both nanostructure patterning via solvent-assisted micromolding (SAMIM) and microcontact printing of polar inks. This composite precursor is prepared by blending two UV-curable materials, Norland Optical Adhesives (NOA) 63 and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), in an appropriate ratio; upon UV polymerization, a nanopatternable elastomer with preferential permeability both to aqueous and organic solvent is fabricated. Using this composite mold, nanoscale SAMIM of poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) and microcontact printing of a polar biomolecule, bovine serum albumin (BSA), was successfully demonstrated, paving the way for facile and efficient reproduction of various nanopatterns and a biomolecule-printed array platform. © 2006 American Chemical Society.