From superhydrophobic- to superhydrophilic-patterned poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene) architectures as a novel platform for biotechnological applications

Abstract

The manufacture of three-dimensional patterned electroactive poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene) microstructures with tailored architecture, morphology, and wettability is presented. The patterned microstructures are fabricated using a simple, effective, low cost, and reproducible technique based on microfluidic technology. These novel structures can represent innovative platforms for advanced strategies in a wide range of biotechnological applications, including tissue engineering, drug delivery, microfluidic, and sensors and actuators devices. FIGURE 1 Schematic representation of the processing steps to obtain patterned P(VDF-CTFE) microstructures: (a) fabrication of the SU-8 mold on glass substrate; (b) placement of aluminum tape and deposition of the PDMS solution followed by curing at 80 8C on a hotplate for 2 h; (c) deposition of the P(VDF-CTFE)/DMF solution on the PDMS mold previously discarded from the SU-8 mold, followed by a heat treatment at a specific temperature; (d) final patterned P(VDF-CTFE) microstructure. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]

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