Formation of Nanostructured Polymer Filaments in Nanochannels

Abstract

We describe the use of hard etching methods to create nanodimensional channels and their use as templates for the formation of polymer filament arrays with precise dimensional and orientational control in a single integrated step. The procedure is general as illustrated by the radical, coordination, and photochemical polymerizations that were performed in these nanochannels. The nanochannel templates (20 nm high, 20-200 nm wide, and 100 mum long) were fabricated by the combined use of electron-beam lithography and a sacrificial metal line etching technique. Radical polymerization of acrylates, metal-catalyzed polymerization of norbornene, and photochemical polymerization of 1,4-diiodothiophene were carried out in these nanochannels. The polymers grown follow the dimensions and orientation of the channels, and the polymer filaments can be released without breaking. The approach opens up the possibility of just-in-place manufacturing and processing of patterns and devices from nanostructured polymers using well-established polymer chemistry.

Development of functional biomaterials with micro- and nanoscale technologies for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications

“…Due to the low diffraction of electrons, significantly smaller features (3–5 nm resolution) can be achieved (Vieu et al ., ). EBL can be used to fabricate nanopatterns composed of inorganic materials (Werts et al ., ; Das et al ., ), synthetic polymers (Peng et al ., ; Idota et al ., ), proteins (Pesen et al ., ; Christman et al ., ) and self‐assembled monolayers. However, one major disadvantage of EBL is the high cost of the equipment and the length of time required to generate a patterned surface.…”

Conductive Polymer Micro‐ and Nanocontainers

“…Many strategies for preparing various micro-and nanostructured polymers for novel applications have been studied. Biosensors and bioreactors, nanoelectrodes, molecular filtration, and ion-channel mimetic sensing are examples of such applications [43][44][45][46]. Martin et al utilized a commercially available track-etched membrane to prepare metal, semiconductor, and conducting-polymer nanofibers and nanotubes [47][48][49].…”

Single Conducting‐Polymer Nanowires

“…Peng et al used fully enclosed nanochannels for the formation of single CPNWs [67,68]. Sub-100-nm silicon nitride nanochannels on a SiO 2 /Si substrate were fabricated (Figure 10.28) [68].…”

“…Sub-100-nm silicon nitride nanochannels on a SiO 2 /Si substrate were fabricated (Figure 10.28) [68]. PT and PANI nanowires (Figure 10.29) were prepared inside the nanochannels through chemical and electrochemical polymerization of the corresponding monomers [67,68]. A clear advantage of using the fully enclosed nanochannels is that the shape of CPNWs is very well defined.…”