3D Micro/Nanopatterning of a Vinylferrocene Copolymer

Abstract

In nanoimprint lithography (NIL), a pattern is created by mechanical deformation of an imprint resist via embossing with a stamp, where the adhesion behavior during the filling of the imprint stamp and its subsequent detachment may impose some practical challenges. Here we explored thermal and reverse NIL patterning of polyvinylferrocene and vinylferrocene-methyl methacrylate copolymers to prepare complex non-spherical objects and patterns. While neat polyvinylferrocene was found to be unsuitable for NIL, freshly-prepared vinylferrocene-methyl methacrylate copolymers, for which identity and purity were established, have been structured into 3D-micro/nano-patterns using NIL. The cross-, square-, and circle-shaped columnar structures form a 3 × 3 mm arrangement with periodicity of 3 µm, 1 µm, 542 nm, and 506 nm. According to our findings, vinylferrocene-methyl methacrylate copolymers can be imprinted without further additives in NIL processes, which opens the way for redox-responsive 3D-nano/micro-objects and patterns via NIL to be explored in the future.

Tailoring the Fe → Pd interaction in cationic Pd(ii) complexesviastructural variation of the ligand scaffold of sterically demanding dppf-analogs and their P,N-counterparts

“…Ferrocene, an extremely useful and unique building block, has remained at the centre of attraction for several decades now. 1,2 Being an essential component in organometallic polymers, [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] redox-tunable substances, 6,[11][12][13] organometallic drugs, 14,15 and functional materials, 9,[16][17][18][19][20] ferrocene has played a vital role in homogenous catalysis. [21][22][23][24][25] The principle reasons for its popularity in homogenous catalysis lie in the easy syntheses of its P-functionalized derivatives (such as dppf ) and a flexible backbone, 26,27 which provides an opportunity to stabilize various metal centers by attaining facile geometric changes.…”

Reversible Photo-Induced Reshaping of Imprinted Microstructures Using a Low Molecular Azo Dye

“…For several decades, manufacturing methods have been further developed to fabricate micro- and nanostructures cost- and time-efficiently, while maintaining high precision in shape and in high throughput [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Ruprecht et al demonstrated a high aspect ratio microstructuring using LIGA process (German acronym for lithography, electroplating, and molding) already in 1993 [ 4 ].…”