Hybrid sol-gel materials have been a subject of intensive research during the past decades because these nanocomposites combine the versatility of organic polymers with the superior physical properties of glass. Here, we report the synthesis, by spin coating, of hybrid interpenetrating networks in the form of free-standing nanomembrane (around 35-nm thick) with unprecedented macroscopic size and characteristics. The quasi-2D interpenetration of the organic and inorganic networks brings to these materials a unique combination of properties that are not usually compatible within the same film: macroscopic robustness and homogeneity, nanoscale thickness, mechanical strength, high flexibility and optical transparency. Interestingly, such free-standing nanofilms of macroscopic size can seal large openings, are strong enough to hold amounts of liquid 70,000 times heavier than their own weight, and are flexible enough to reversibly pass through holes 30,000 times smaller than their own size.

Mesoscopic honeycomb structures (see Figure) and regular, hexagonally packed monolayers are produced when fluorocarbon‐stabilized silver particles are cast onto solid substrates from flurocarbon solution. The structures formed are shown to depend on the concentration of the solution and the humidity of the atmosphere.

Metastable cationic gold nanoparticles were newly developed by the use of thiocholine bromide (TCB) as stabilizer. The gold nanoparticles electrostatically bound to DNA molecules and then underwent self-fusion into the wire-like structures. The use of TCB as a labile ligand was essential to achieve non-electrochemical plating of the non-conductive molecules.

gray levels to phase elements, presenting a continuous modulation of the local height. The experiments presented in this article also give some indications as to the 3D resolution obtainable with this method of stereophotolithography: an in-plane resolution of 1 mm was observed, whereas the out-of-plane resolution was no higher than 30 nm. Such a small voxel size, added to the good correlation between the near optical field properties and the polymerized volume, is most promising as far as applications of this photopolymerizable system to near optical field characterization are concerned. ExperimentalThe photopolymerizable system used in this study consisted of three basic components: a sensitizer dye, an amine cosynergist, and a multifunctional acrylate monomer. Pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETIA) used as received from the supplier forms the backbone of the polymer network. The cosynergist was methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), and eosin Y(2¢,4¢,5¢,7¢-tetrabromofluorescein disodium salt) was used as the sensitizer dye. This system was developed because of its high sensitivity in the spectral region between 450 nm and 550 nm (maximum at 530 nm) and in particular because of its sensitivity to the argon laser light (514 nm) [9]. All the results reported in this paper were obtained with the same reference mixture: 2 wt.-% eosin and 8 wt.-% methyldiethanolamine.An argon laser supplied by Spectra Physics (model 2020) emitting at 514 nm was used as the actinic source. The output power varied from 0.1 to 1.2 W.The polymer thickness was measured with a Nikon interference microscope fitted with a Michelson (5´) or a Mireau objective (10´and 20´). 3D pictures of the polymer microparts were obtained with a UBM optical profilometer.