Metal microhoneycomb structures have received considerable attention as a type of interaction‐efficient functional devices owing to their unique morphology and material properties. Microhoneycomb structures are mainly fabricated using the well‐known breath‐figure method. However, additional post‐treatments are required to produce a metal structure because it is a polymer‐based process, and this necessitates expensive, complex, and multi‐step fabrication processes. Therefore, a simple, low‐cost metal honeycomb fabrication process is necessary. In this paper, the laser patterning of an organometallic solution to produce silver microhoneycomb (Ag microhoneycomb) structures is proposed. Various phenomena such as rapid organic evaporation, silver nanoparticle solidification, and material reorganization from Marangoni flow are found to enable patterning‐induced microhoneycomb formation. Parametric studies demonstrate that the pore size can be easily controlled through simple laser parameter changes. In addition, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies confirm the potential electrochemical applications of the Ag microhoneycomb structures based on the variation of electrochemical redox behavior depending on the pore size. Owing to the excellent advantages of one‐step laser patterning without any templates, the proposed process will likely promote the practical use of the metal microhoneycomb structures.
Laser patterning to fabricate micro/nanoscale structures attracts enormous attention as they find many functional applications owing to their controllable structure and unique properties. The present work proposes a unique solution‐based method to fabricate laser‐induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS) patterns on a thin film of Titanium (IV) butoxide and Ag organometallic (OM) solution‐coated glass substrates with near infra‐red (NIR) nanosecond (ns) laser. The formation of periodic patterns has been confirmed, the thin film solution concentration affects the LIPSS pattern thickness and a continuous pattern is achieved with the diluted solution. Parametric studies demonstrate that the LIPSS patterns could be achieved with optimal solution dilution, laser fluence, scan speed, and pulse duration. A high power and faster scan speed result in discontinued, and defective patterns. The photothermal process such as material reorganization followed by electromagnetic absorption that takes place during laser patterning is mainly responsible for the fabrication of controlled structures. LIPSS patterned surfaces exhibit iridescent surface coloration while illuminated with white light, and the color spectrum from red to blue is distinguished. LIPSS patterned substrates serve as mold and structures are transferrable to the poly dimethyl siloxane (PDMS) film and exhibit iridescent structural coloration like LIPSS patterned substrates.
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