Title

Low-Distortion Surface Functionalization Of Polymeric Microstructures

Keywords

metallization; microelectromechanical systems (MEMS); microfluidics; microstructure; surface functionalization

Abstract

Polymeric microstructures can be immersed in an organic solution containing a reactive linker to functionalize the surface for attachment of nanoparticles, fluorescent dyes, proteins, DNA, and other species. However, organic media can swell and distort polymeric microstructures. Swelling and distortion can be irreversible when the linkers are themselves low-molecular-weight organics like ethylenediamine, which can bind to unreacted monomer groups or other functionalities within the polymer matrix. This work introduces an alternative approach for surface functionalization based on aqueous processing using higher-molecular-weight amines, which causes less distortion, but is comparably effective. The processes are compared by aminating crosslinked SU-8 thin films and 3D "woodpile" microstructures, electrolessly depositing copper onto these primed surfaces, and measuring the amount of copper deposited and the degree of distortion caused by amination. The method provides a new route to low-distortion SU-8 microstructures and identifies a path for improving related processing with other polymeric materials and structure types. Polymeric SU-8 microstructures can be surface-functionalized with minimal distortion using aqueous processing and multifunctional macromolecular amines. This approach minimizes swelling and chemical reactions within the polymeric matrix, which can lead to irreversible distortion when organic solvents and low-molecular-weight linkers are used to derivatize polymeric surfaces. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Publication Title

Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics

Volume

215

Issue

16

Number of Pages

1533-1542

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.201400226

Socpus ID

84906346269 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84906346269

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS